The Approved Workman

All About James

2011-01-22T22:23:00.000-08:00

James, a bond-servant of God, and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
to the twelve tribes who are dispersed aboard: Greetings. James 1:1

If you say that you “believe,” why do you act as though you don’t? That seems to be the main issue that prompts James to write this letter. Generally speaking, the book of James is not considered a great doctrinal treatise. For example, the name of the Lord Jesus Christ appears only twice in the entire letter, and once here in verse one. The author never mentions the cross, the resurrection, or the Holy Spirit. It seems that this letter was not written for the purpose of establishing the doctrines of the faith (although, there are great truths taught in it). As Chuck Swindoll has written:

You won’t hear any mysterious, stained-glass theological discussions in the hallowed halls of this inspired letter, only grass-stained advice from someone following Christ in the grass-roots of life!

The intention of James is to drive home the importance of living out the truth in a practical way.

Now there has been much discussion and debate concerning which of the many James in Scripture is the actual author of this letter. The New Testament mentions at least four men named James (a great name I might add!).

James the son of Zebedee and brother of the Apostle John (Mark 1:19, 3:17; Matthew 10:2)
James the son of Alphaeus (Mark 3:18; Matthew 10:3; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13)
James the father of Judas (not Iscariot) (Luke 6:16)
James the half-brother of our Lord Jesus (Galatians 1:19)

We know it can’t be the first James (the son of Zebedee) because Acts 12:2 tells us he was martyred by Herod Agrippa I in AD 44. This letter of James was likely written somewhere between AD 45-49 and is considered to be the first New Testament book written.

Although the second James (the son of Alphaeus) was one of the original 12 Apostles, not much else is known about him.

The third James (the father of Judas), although having the privilege of being mentioned in Scripture, from all other evidence it appears he was simply not an important person in the early church.

When all is said and done, evidence points to James the half-brother of Jesus as the author of the book. According to Galatians 1-2 and Acts 15 and 21, this James became the recognized leader in the Jerusalem Church. Additionally, Church tradition credits this James as the author.

Before we look at this wonderful letter of practical Christian truth I want us to know more about the author. I think that what we learn about him will help us to appreciate this book even more.

I want you to understand four things about James, his conversion, his character, his confession and his concern.

His Conversion

We know very little about the relationship between James and Jesus. John 7:5 tells us that early on, his brothers did not believe in him. In Matthew 13:53-58 we are told that Jesus went into the Synagogue in Nazareth and taught the people and they were amazed by His wisdom and power. They said, “Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brethren James, Joseph, Simon and Jude? Aren’t all His sisters with us? Where did this man get all these things?” At one point, his family tried to stop him and said he was “beside himself.”

Certainly Mary and Joseph knew who he was. After all, they had heard the angel predict his miraculous conception and of course they were present at all the wonderful events surrounding His birth. In fact Luke 2:19 says “Mary treasured all these words in her heart.” His family had seen Jesus as a boy grow and mature with profound wisdom beyond years. Surely Mary and Joseph would have explained Jesus’ true identity to the rest of the family. Yet James and the others remained unconvinced.

However, a few years later, we see this same James as the leader in the church at Jerusalem. When controversy over gentile believers threatened to divide the church, Barnabas and Paul met with the elders and Apostles in Jerusalem and submitted to their authority. James was the moderator and spokesman for the final decision made by the elders and Apostles (Acts 15:1-21). Later, just before Paul’s arrest, Paul brought money that he had collected for the poor in the Jerusalem church to James and reported the details of what God had done among the gentiles (Acts 21:19). That this is the same James, as the James mentioned as the Lord’s brother, is confirmed by Paul in Galatians 1:18-19.

“Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Peter and stayed with him for fifteen days. I saw no other Apostle except for James the Lord’s brother.”

So the question arises then, what changed James from skeptical younger brother to a committed follower of Jesus and outspoken leader in the church? He saw the risen Christ! In 1 Corinthians 15-3-8 Paul gives a list of people who had actually seen Christ after his resurrection, James was one of them. Jesus appeared personally to James!

What more does it take to change a man? When you come into contact with living and resurrected Jesus Christ you must be changed!

His Character

Kent Hughes says that James may have been a late bloomer, but he flowered well! In fact, history tells us he became known as James the Just! Hegesippus a second century historian says he received this nickname for a very good reason. “James would enter the Temple alone and could be found kneeling and praying for the forgiveness of the people….He prayed so much that his knees grew hard like a camels…because of his excessive righteousness, he was called ‘the just’.”

Because of his familial relationship and his spiritual relationship, James knew Christ like few others did! For years he sat at the same table, shared the same meals, shared the same house and played in the same places.

James could have easily started his letter this way: “James the Just, from the sacred womb of Mary, biological sibling of Christ, his brother, confidant of the Messiah!” Instead, he simply says, “James, servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” James the Just was also James the Humble. The word order in the original makes his humility even more explicit, “of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, a servant.” James’ emphasis is not on himself but on his Lord.

The word “bond-servant” he uses is the Greek word “doulos” which literally means bondslave. It referred to one who was in a permanent relationship of servitude to another. The word emphasizes “the supreme and absolute authority of the master and the entire submission of the slave.”

Three things were expected of a bondslave, complete obedience, utter humility and unshakable loyalty. The early Christians gladly called themselves bondslaves of Jesus Christ. To be a bondlsave of Christ was not to be in a position of degradation, but of honor. There can be no greater tribute to a believer than to be called God’s obedient, humble and loyal servant. Such was James!

If Jesus Christ is our Lord, then our actions are to be obedient, our attitudes must be humble before Him, and our life must be lived in loyalty to Him.

His Confession

There is no definite article in the original Greek so this opening phrase places emphasis on the identity of Jesus, “a servant of God and of Lord Jesus Christ.” “Lord Jesus Christ” or “Jesus Christ is Lord” was one of the earliest Christian confessions. The phrase “Lord Jesus Christ” speaks to the unique character of Jesus. Let’s break that phrase down.

“Jesus” is his human name. It was given to him before his birth and speaks of his saving work in the incarnation…literally it means “salvation.” The name Jesus embodies the entire gospel story concerning this man from Nazareth.

“Christ” is the Greek rendering of the Hebrew word “Messiah”…literally it means “the Anointed One.” For Jewish readers the placement of the title Christ after Jesus meant that the writer was acknowledging him as the fulfillment of messianic promises in the Old Testament. The name Jesus Christ embodies the faith, that the messianic redemption as promised by God through the prophets had been realized in the incarnate Jesus.

The early Church proclaimed this incarnate and risen savior as its “Lord” (Greek Kurios). As their savior and master he received their full allegiance and whole-hearted service. To Jewish readers (the primary target population of his letter), the title Lord carried with it implications of deity. In the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) the word Kurios was used to translate the Hebrew word “Yahweh.” Yahweh (translated Jehovah in English) is the name for God. Yahweh is the I AM, the sovereign God of the universe!

So to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord is a radical thing. To the Jew it was blasphemous. To the Romans it was treasonous, but to the early Christians it was a sign of giving one’s life to Christ! Many of those early Christians lost their lives because they would not take back that confession.

Sadly today, the phrase “Jesus Christ is Lord” is no more than a bumper sticker or a slogan. The unspoken question of James is “to what degree will you go, to proclaim Jesus Christ is Lord of your life, not only in what you say, but also in what you do?”

His Concern

James addresses his letter to the “twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad.” “Dispersed” is the word “diaspora” it means scattering or dispersion and it pictures that of the scattering of seed. On the day of Pentecost Peter addressed the Jews that were in Jerusalem from many different nations. These Jews then returned to their homelands and became part of the scattered. In Acts 1:8 Jesus had told his followers that they were to spread the faith beyond Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria and to the uttermost parts of the world.

Because of persecution and other factors, these early Christians were scattered throughout the Roman world. As Christian Jews they often faced a double dose of persecution. As Jews, they were despised and rejected by the gentiles. As Christian Jews they were rejected by their own countrymen. James knew what these young believers would be facing as they attempted to live for Christ, far away from the Apostles and elders in the Jerusalem Church. He knew there would be trials and persecutions. He knew there would be suffering and oppression. He knew there would be temptations and pressures. He knew that it would be easy for them to slip back into old habits or spiritual neutrality. Therefore, he wrote this letter to encourage them to move beyond mere words into action…to live out their faith in a practical and very real way. That is what this book is all about.

As we will see, this book is very practical, but is it very relevant? Can a two-thousand year old letter relate to us today? Can first century instruction relate to a twenty-first century person? I believe it can. Let me ask you a few questions.

Do you face trials in your life? James writes about it in 1:2-12.
Do you ever struggle with temptation? James covers this too in 1:13-18.
Do you wonder of it is possible to live out the truths of Scripture in everyday life? James addresses this in 1:19-27.
Do you hate the racism and bias we have in this country and our churches today? Do you sometimes fail at treating people fairly? James indicts this kind of behavior in 2:1-13.
Is your faith a living faith? Does your live show good works as evidence of a real faith? James tells us why this is so important in 2:14-26.
Do you have a problem with controlling your tongue and speech? James focuses on this issue in 3:1-12.
Do you struggle with selfishness? James is on the case in 4:1-10.
Are you always criticizing and judging others. James has a word for us on this subject too in 4:11-12.

James also deals with how to plan your life, how to handle riches, how to pray effectively and what to do when you’re suffering and sick. James IS a relevant book…it is the word of God!

I hope you will join me as we work our way through the great truths of this letter.

HEARTFELT PRAYER - PHILIPPIANS 1:9-11

2006-09-28T10:54:00.000-07:00

One of the great men of prayer in Christian history was George Mueller (1805-1898) who spent his life in the service of Christ in London. After a dissolute early life, he was converted during a prayer meeting in 1825. Mueller came to London in 1829 to train for missionary service among the Jews. He decided to stay in England and eventually focused his attention on the needs of children.

There he established an orphanage in Bristol which grew from a rented house into a complex of buildings. He renounced a regular salary and refused throughout the rest of his life to make any requests for financial support either for himself or for his philanthropic projects. He depended entirely on prayer. He also kept a notebook with two-page entries. On one page he gave the petition and the date. On the opposite page he entered the date of the answer. Mueller testified that in his lifetime 50,000 specific prayers were answered. Prayer was the secret of George Mueller’s productive life for Christ (Harbour pp.15).

Like George Mueller, the Apostle Paul was also a man of prayer. Last week we said that one of the ways that Paul expressed his thankful spirit was through prayer. In verses 3-8 we were given insight into the why and how of Paul’s prayer life. Why did Paul pray for the Philippians? Because of the fond memories he had with them; because of the firm confidence he had that God would continue to work in them; and because of the feelings of love he had for them.

How did Paul pray for the Philippians?

q Joyfully – “with joy”
q Constantly – “always”
q Repeatedly – “in every prayer”
q Individually – “for you all”

Paul also prayed for them specifically…“And this I pray,” this is the what of prayer.
What did Paul specifically pray for on behalf of the Philippians? I see four specific requests in v.9-11…..

He Prayed for Abounding Love – v.9
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment,
Having expressed his love for the Philippians in v.7-8, Paul now prayed that their love would grow to maturity. The passion of v.7-8 leads to the petitions in v.9-11.

The word love (agape) is used to describe God’s love – agape is a sacrificial, giving kind of love (John 3:16). Agape can only be produced in us as we come to know God personally and allow His Spirit to empower us (Gal. 5:16-23).

Paul’s reference to the Philippians love is not just talking about their love for one another but also their love for God. Whether expressed vertically or horizontally Paul wanted their love to “abound.” The word pictures a bucket standing under a giant waterfall, with the water overflowing on all sides because the bucket cannot possibly contain the downpour. He was praying that their love would continue to grow until it could not be contained.

The phrase “still more and more” stresses the dynamic of the love. The original has in it the idea of “still (yet) more and more” (some newer translations miss this).

§ That their love was to abound more would have been sufficient;
§ That their love was to abound more and more was better;
§ That their love was to abound still (yet) more and more was the very best.

Paul wanted their love to have no bounds so that it would overflow in great amounts.

q He wanted their love to abound deeper because deeper love is willing to endure more (from others and for the Lord’s work);
q He wanted their love to abound wider because wider love is willing to embrace more (especially the unlovable / hard to love);
q He wanted their love to abound fuller because fuller love is willing to risk more (fuller in a comprehensive sense).

There are always elements of risk in love. For example, love may be given but not returned. Love may be criticized as having ulterior motives. Still, deeper love will endure more, wider love will embrace more, and fuller love will risk more. Fully developed love never travels alone but it is always accompanied by knowledge and discernment. Knowledge and discernment help love to stay in focus!

“Knowledge” (epignosis) speaks of full knowledge, knowledge that is gained through experience. As we go about our lives day by day experiencing God’s love we gain knowledge. As we read and study God’s Word and put it into practice day by day we gain knowledge. As we develop a clear vision of our Lord Jesus Christ in all the beauty and love of His person, we gain real knowledge.

“Discernment” speaks of judgment or insight. It speaks of the ability to expose the rightness and the wrongness of thoughts and actions. It is the practical application of knowledge! Without knowledge we do not know whom to love. Without discernment we do not know how to love
When abounding love is controlled by knowledge and discernment it fulfills the highest goals of God and man!

He Prayed for Approving Minds – v.10a
10 so that you may approve the things that are excellent,
To “approve” means to examine carefully, to test. It speaks of the act of testing something for the purpose of approving it. The term refers to the ability of someone to sift or test something so as to recognize its worth. The word “excellent” here in the original speaks of things that differ – things that pull in opposite directions.

Paul is praying that the Philippians would be able to apply spiritual tests to the different views, attitudes, appeals and actions that surround them and then be able to discern which ones were best, which ones have real value! He is not talking about differentiating between good and bad, that is the discernment of verse 9! Rather, he is talking about differentiating between the primary and secondary things. J.B. Phillips translates v.10a this way, “I want you to be able to always recognize the highest and best.” Moffat translates it like this, “…enabling you to have a sense of what is vital.”

This is certainly a need we have in the church today, isn’t it? It is not difficult to choose between good and bad, but it is not as easy to choose between good and better, or better and best. We need a sense of what is vital, a spiritual sensitivity to true values, to the primary things.

J. Dwight Pentecost writes,

“To every man alike God grants a gift of twenty-four in any one day, not a moment more or less. What a man accomplishes in that twenty-four-hour period is determined by the discipline that the man exercises in the use of time; one will exercise discipline and accomplish much, another will be undisciplined and accomplish little. One is approving things that excel, and the other is involved in things of lessor worth. That may apply to every realm of life. A man whose life is disciplined by the Spirit of God and the Word of God does not give himself to something of secondary importance. Recognizing that he does not have time for both the good and the best, he approves the things that are superior” (pp. 25).

Some of the things we are involved in are not bad, in fact they are good, but they are not the best use of our time and talents and treasures. Let us seek to focus on that which is primary, vital and excellent!

He Prayed for Authentic Lives – v.10b
in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ
The word “sincere” speaks of that which has been tested by the sunlight; that which is pure or unmixed. When the ancients made porcelain vessels, they often broke or cracked. Whenever that happened, they mended them with wax. Sometimes when a person just looked at a vase, he would not know if it was cracked. The only way to know for sure that the object had been cracked and patched with wax was to hold it up to the sunlight. If it had been cracked and patched the wax would immediately become visible. Those which had not been cracked and patched were pure, they would be advertised as being sine cera, without wax. From that background came the word, sincere. To be sincere then is to be pure enough to stand the test of sunlight. If our walk with the Lord is real and genuine, then our lives will be able to withstand inspection in the full light of day!

The Greek word that Paul used that is translated here as “blameless” is a word that was used to refer to the part of a trap in which the bait was attached. It was a snare which caused the animal to fall into the trap. It came to refer to a stumbling block. We are to live in such a way that we do not cause others to stumble and fall into Satan’s traps.

Sincerity is the Godward aspect of authenticity. Blamelessness is the manward aspect of authenticity.

He Prayed of Accompanying Fruit – v.11
11 having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Paul prays that there would be a rich spiritual harvest in the hearts and lives of the Philippians. He wants them to be spiritually filled and fruitful…“fruits of righteousness.” What are the “fruits of righteousness?” There is the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23); the fruit of winning souls (Romans 1:13); the fruit of holiness (Romans 6:22); the fruit of good works (Colossians 1:10); and the fruit of our lips [praise] (Hebrews 13:15).

The fruits of righteousness come through Jesus Christ. We do not produce fruit – Christ produces it in us – when we abide in Him – and walk in the Spirit. The difference between human effort and true spiritual fruit is found in the result “to the glory and praise of God.”
True spiritual fruit is so beautiful and wonderful that no man can take credit for it. The glory must go to God alone!

The ultimate goal of Paul’s prayer for the Philippians is that through their lives glory and praise will be given to God! God is glorified when our love abounds still more and more – when it grows deeper, wider and fuller – and when it is adorned with knowledge and discernment.
God is glorified when we learn to test or approve the things that are truly important – when we choose to focus on the vital areas of our Christian life – when we let go of the secondary and seek only that which is primary. God is glorified when are lives are characterized by an authenticity, both Godward – pure and sincere and manward – blameless. God is glorified when our lives are filled with the rich fruit of righteousness that comes from abiding in Christ.

Are you abounding in love? Can you approve the things that are best? Is your life authentic? Is your life filled with the fruits of righteousness?

THE THANKFUL HEART - PHILIPPIANS 1:3-8

2006-09-28T08:39:00.000-07:00

For what are we most thankful? Most would say they are thankful for friends and family.

q William Barclay – British Scholar wrote in his autobiography that he was thankful, “that being such as he was, he had the friends he had.”
q Helen Keller – expressed her thankfulness in these words, “I thank God for my handicaps for through them I have found myself, my work and my God.”
q One little boy said – “I’m thankful for my glasses because they keep the boys from hitting me and the girls from kissing me!”
(Quoted by Harbour, pp. 15-16)

The Apostle Paul begins his letter to the Philippians by expressing what he was thankful for – I thank my God in all my remembrance of you (v.3). In fact, this was not unusual, because Paul opened many of his letters this way. For example,

q In 1 Corinthians 1:4 he wrote – “I thank my God always concerning you…”

q In Ephesians 1:15-16 he wrote – “I also…do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers”…

q In Colossians 1:3 he wrote – “We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you”…

q In 1 Thessalonians 1:2 he wrote – “We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers”…

q In 2 Timothy 1:3 he wrote – “I thank God…as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day”…

q In Philemon 4 he wrote – “I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers”…

These were not just trite, obligatory opening remarks. Rather, they were statements of Paul’s true feelings toward the believers to whom he was writing. In fact I believe that one of the keys to Paul’s spiritual success was his thankful spirit – attitude of gratitude. So when Paul says to the Philippians, “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,” he was expressing something that was real and meaningful! This is all the more remarkable when you recall the circumstances surrounding his first encounter with the Philippians (Acts 16:16-40).

How can Paul be thankful for his memories of the Philippians? Two key words help us to understand this ability.

The first key word is God. Paul could thankfully recall those difficult times because he knew that God was in control. Because God was bigger than any problem he might face Paul could always say, “I thank my God!”

The second key word is you. Paul was not necessarily thankful for the circumstances, but for the people to whom those circumstances brought him into contact with. Therefore Paul could sincerely say he was thankful every time he remembered them.

How did Paul express his thankfulness? Paul’s thankfulness was expressed in 3 ways.

Paul’s Thankfulness was Expressed through Joyful Prayer – v.4
always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all,
Here we are given insight into Paul’s prayer life. In v.4 we see how Paul prayed and in v.9-11 we learn what he prayed for.

Paul prayed Joyfully – “with joy”

This is the first of many references to joy in Philippians! Prayer that comes from a thankful heart is always joyful prayer! This is a good place to be reminded again of the difference between joy and happiness? Happiness is based entirely on our circumstances i.e. happenstance. Joy on the other hand is the result of a sense of well being that comes from a right relationship with God – knowing He is control!

Paul prayed Constantly – “always”

Is this hyperbole? No! Paul was in a constant spirit of prayer and every time he thought of the Philippians he prayed for them. Again, this was a pattern of Paul’s.

· 1 Corinthians 1:4 – “I thank my God always concerning you…”
· Ephesians 1:15-16 – “I also……do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers…”
· Colossians 1:3 – “We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you…”
· 1 Thessalonians 1:2 – “We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers…”
· 2 Timothy 1:3 – “I thank God……as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day…”
· Philemon 4 – “I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers…”

Paul prayed Repeatedly = “in my every prayer”

Every time Paul prayed he thought of the Philippians! He was a prayer warrior.

Paul prayed Individually = “for you all”

The NIV reads “for all of you” – The phrase is meant to be all-inclusive. Paul did not pray, “Lord bless the Philippians,” but he prayed for each one of them before the throne of grace (as much as he knew them individually).

No one was busier than Paul, yet whether he was making tents or traveling to the next town or as he was now, sitting under house arrest, Paul dedicated many hours to prayer! He had a prayer life that we all could imitate.

Paul’s Thankfulness was Expressed through Firm Confidence – v.5-6
5 in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
Confidence in what? The continued growth of the Philippians in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ! In v.5 Paul gives the immediate reason for his confidence and in v.6 Paul gives the ultimate reason for his confidence.

The Immediate Reason – v.5
The immediate reason for his confidence was based on their participation in the gospel. The word participation or fellowship is the familiar word koinonia. Koinonia speaks of a joint-participation in a common interest or activity, a sharing, a partnership, a commonness. The Philippians heartily co-operated with Paul in the furtherance of the gospel.

The phrase from the first day until now speaks of the events recorded in Acts 16:15. Immediately after being converted Lydia opened her home to Paul and his associates. The Philippians did not hesitate, they were not slow starters, they immediately responded and became involved.

A Pastor in a small town went down to the train station every day just to watch the train come roaring through. One of his deacons asked him why he followed the same ritual every day. The Pastor responded, “That train is the only thing in this town that I don’t have to push!”

Unlike some who have been Christians for a long time and still don’t participate – the Philippians didn’t need a push! The words until now are great because it indicated that not only did they start well but they continued well! They were faithful. They did not give up when the going got tough!

At the time Paul was writing this letter ten years had passed since the events in Acts 16 occurred. In the meantime the Philippians had sent a gift to the poor saints in Jerusalem (2 Corinthians 8:1-5). More than once the Philippians sent help to Paul in the form of a financial gift (Philippians 4:15-16). They even sent one of their own, Epaphroditus to be a personal blessing to Paul (Philippians 2:25-30; 4:18). They continued through the years to be joint-partners with Paul even until now!

The Ultimate Reason – v.6
Here we see the other side of the coin. Paul was confident because of the faithful work of the Philippians, but more importantly he could be confident because of the faithful work of God for and in the Philippians.

The work that Paul speaks of is the work of God’s transforming grace in the life of the believer. This work involves least two things: Redemption, the work God does for us and Sanctification, the work God does in us.

Now, I want you to notice three things that characterizes this work.

(1) It is a Godly work – “He who began”

Paul could ultimately be confident because it was God who was working in and through the Philippians (Philippians 2:12-13).

(2) It is a good work – “a good work in you”

It is “good” in origin, quality, purpose and results (James 1:17-18).

(3) It is a guaranteed work – “will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus”

God always finishes what he starts, therefore those He redeems and sanctifies, He preserves to the very end (Romans 8:28-39; 1 Peter 1:3-5).

The phrase will perfect means to bring something to a successful conclusion, to finish or to complete.

Kenneth Wuest translates verse 6 this way, “He who began in you a work which is good, will bring it to a successful conclusion right up to the day of Christ Jesus” (pp. 33).

When will God complete His work He is doing in each believer?

1 Corinthians 1:7-9
7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who shall also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. NAS

1 Corinthians 15:51-58
51 Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; 57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord. NAS

Paul Expressed his Thankfulness through Heartfelt Love – v.7-8
7 For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me. 8 For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.

In verse 3 Paul told the Philippians that he had them on his mind, now in verse 7 Paul goes a step further and says, “I have you in my heart.” The word “heart” (kardia) was used in the New Testament to refer to the center of a person’s inner life, the source of all the forces and functions of soul and spirit. In other words, the heart was the source of the feelings, emotions, desires and passions of human life.

By saying, “I have you in my heart” Paul was revealing his deepest feelings, emotions, desires, and passion for the Philippians. He loved them with a deep abiding love – which is an amazing thing considering Paul was a Jew, an ex Pharisee and the Philippians were Greek and Romans, ex-pagans!

How did he develop such a love for them? ...“you all are partakers of grace with me”…His love grew out of a partnership of co-operative commitment! When we begin to participate together in common things with common goals, sharing in the blood, sweat and tears of ministering the gospel to the world, we will soon have each other “in our hearts.”

“For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.”
The phrase the affection of Jesus Christ is literally, “bowels of affection.” The term bowels referred to the nobler organs like the heart, liver and lungs – not the intestines. It is translated as affection to signify strong feelings!

The phrase “of Jesus Christ” indicates the source of Paul’s love – literally, within Jesus Christ. In other words, Paul was not talking about his love channeled through Christ, but Christ’s love channeled through him. Is the love of Christ flowing through you?

How do you express your thankfulness to God and others? Might I suggest we follow Paul's example? We too can express our thankfulness through, joyful prayer, firm confidence and heartfelt love.

FROM PAUL WITH LOVE - PHILIPPIANS 1:1-2

2006-09-26T17:02:00.000-07:00

Bill Adler in his book entitled, Dear Pastor, shared some letters that were written by children of various ages to their pastor. I want to share a few of those with you.

q From eleven year old Ralph, “Dear Pastor, I liked your sermon on Sunday. Especially when it was finished.”

q From ten year old Anthony, “Dear Pastor, I would like you to marry me and my girlfriend when we get married someday.” Then he added this postscript, I’ll let you know when I find a girlfriend.”

q From nine year old Susan, Dear Pastor, please say a prayer for my teacher. She is sick and if you say a prayer, she would get better and come back to school.” Then she added this postscript, The other kids in my class said I shouldn’t write this letter.”

Nothing is more enjoyable than receiving a letter from a friend or family member. A letter is an intimate expression of the feelings and desires and interests of one person to another. The book of Philippians is most assuredly a warm personal letter from the Apostle Paul to his dear friends in Philippi. What makes this letter special is that its contents are inspired by the very Spirit of God and a part of the Canon of Scripture.

One of the first things you’ll notice is that New Testament letters differ from those today in the pattern they follow. For example, today we end our letters with the name of the sender – but in Paul’s day the name of the sender is mentioned first. After the name of the sender was mentioned, then the name of the recipient(s), followed by the greeting or salutation. This was the letter pattern as it existed in the polite society of Paul’s day.

In writing his letters Paul took this secular format and poured into it decidedly Christian content. As we examine his opening statement we will be looking closely at three key elements, the writer, the readers and the greeting.

The Writer – v.1a
Paul…

Who is Paul? We first meet him in the book of Acts as a devoted Jew known as “Saul of Tarsus.” Saul is a Hebrew name that means “to ask or pray.” He was Pharisee who had sat at the feet of Gamaliel – who at the time was considered one of the greatest of Pharisees.

During this time Saul saw the Church and Christianity as a threat to the Jewish faith. Because of this he set out to destroy them (Acts 8:1-3). However, on his way to Damascus to persecute the Saints there, he had a dramatic encounter with Jesus of Nazareth (Acts 9 – Paul recounts the story of his conversion in Acts 22 & 26).

In that dramatic “Damascus Road experience” he was transformed from an “Apostle of the Sanhedrin” into an “Apostle of Jesus Christ.”
After some time, probably three or four years we find Saul in the Church at Antioch where the Holy Spirit calls him out along with Barnabas for their first missionary journey into Asia Minor (Acts 13:1-14:28).

It is during this time that he began to be referred to as Paul (Acts 13:9) “Paul” is a Latin name that means “little” (in stature). Since the world was controlled politically by Rome and culturally by Greece it would be natural for him to use his Gentile name as he went out to minister in a largely Gentile world.

It was on his second missionary journey that he was called to leave Asia Minor and to go over into Europe. His first church established in Europe was in Philippi (Acts 15:36-18:22) (his third missionary journey is recorded for us in Acts 18:23-20:38). Determined to go to Jerusalem he is ultimately arrested and sent to Rome (Acts 21-28), It is from there that he writes the letter to the Philippians. Having been acquitted he is released, but later is arrested again and martyred under Nero. Paul’s name however, does not stand alone in the opening of this letter…..

and Timothy...

Timothy is mentioned some 24 times in the New Testament. Paul referred to him as his “true son in the faith” (1 Tim. 1:2). Timothy was a young man with a mixed heritage who became Paul’s special emissary (his mother was Jewish and his father Greek).

Why did Paul mention Timothy here?

Timothy was with Paul when they first preached the gospel to the Philippians (Acts 16:1-3ff) and had been sent by Paul to visit the Philippians on several occasions (Acts 19:21-22; 20:3-6), so they knew him well. Evidently, Paul was planning to send Timothy to them once again (Phil. 2:19-23).

The point is that Paul and Timothy were co-workers in the ministry and Paul wanted to affirm his confidence in his young protégé.
They represented the same cause – the proclamation of the gospel.
Does this mean that Timothy was co-author of the letter? Not likely – note the use of the first person singular in v.3,4,6,7,8,9,12,13,14 etc.
It has been suggested by some that Timothy was Paul’s secretary and that Paul dictated his letters to Timothy.

bond-servants of Christ Jesus …
A bondservant (doulos) was an indentured slave. This designation is interesting because of the implications of the term. What does the term imply?

¨ It implied a legal bond…

A bondslave was one who was owned and totally possessed by his master. He had no personal rights whatsoever. A bondslave existed for his master and no other reason. He existed to serve the master. He was at his master’s disposal 24 hours a day. Paul and Timothy existed only for Christ, they lived only to serve Him, hour by hour, day by day. They were purchased and possessed by Jesus Christ.

¨ It implied a lifelong relationship…

Most bondslaves were born into slavery. They were born into a servant / master relationship that could only be broken by death. At their first birth Paul and Timothy were born into the slavery of sin and at their second birth they willingly gave themselves to be loving bondslaves of the master Jesus Christ.

¨ It implied a subjugated will…

A bondslave’s will was to be completely subjugated to the will of the master. A bondslave disregarded all interests and ambitions and their identity was derived from the one to whom they belonged. Paul and Timothy sought only to obey the will of the Master. They willingly subjugated their interests and ambitions to those of Jesus Christ.

It is unique that Paul would take on the term “bondslave.” A Greek or Roman would never have called themselves “doulos” and to the Jew, the term was an insult. But Paul opens this letter calling himself a “doulos of Jesus Christ.” He had so lost himself in the identity of his Master that he saw everything in his life through the lens of his slavery to Christ. To Paul, the term “doulos” was a title of dignity and honor.

David Jeremiah said, “We would do well to remember that God did not save us to become sensations; but to become servants.” How do we view ourselves? It is something to think about!

There is one positive benefit to bondslavery – bondslaves had no worries about the necessities of life. His clothing, food, medical treatment, housing and so on was provided for him by his master. To be a slave of Jesus Christ brings a sense of contentment and being cared for (Phil. 4:11-19).

There is one other thing I want to mention about this opening section of Paul’s letter to the Philippians and it has to do with what is not there. In every one of Paul’s letters with the exception of Philippians, Thessalonians and Philemon Paul mentions his Apostleship. Why does he not mention it here? It has to do with the nature of the letter.

In other epistles he mentions his apostleship because he needed to assert his authority because he was dealing with heresy or some specific type(s) of ungodly behavior. Those letters demanded a declaration of his authority and position. Not so with the Philippians, they had an intimate personal relationship with Paul and his authority stood as a standing fact with them. There were no great heresies in the Philippian church and his position with them was unassailed and unchallenged.

The Readers – v.1b
to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons
We already have addressed the background concerning the recipients of the letter, but I want to point out the three different groups that are mentioned in his opening statement.

Þ saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi

The word “saint” (hagios) means to set apart. In the Old Teatament as well as in the pagan Greek culture, things were “set apart” – consecrated for religious purposes – these places and objects became sacred. In the New Testament, the word became a designation for Christians – “saints.” Saints are believing sinners, who have been set apart from sin to holiness; set apart from Satan to God.

Bryan Harbour puts it this way. “Saints are unholy people who have been singled out, claimed, requisitioned and then set aside by God for His control and use.”

The words saint, sanctify and holy all come from the same Greek root word and they all speak of absolute separation from evil and dedication to God.

Notice Paul writes to the saints in Christ Jesus. The Christians at Philippi could be called saints, not because they were perfect or without sin or better than everyone else, but because they were “in Christ Jesus.” They were ordinary people to whom something extraordinary happened. They were common people whose lives had been changed by an uncommon Savior.

Notice also these saints were in [at] Philippi. In other words, they were not isolated from the world. They did not live in a Christian subdivision physically set apart from the world. Philippi was like any other Pagan culture – unclean and sinful and although this was the location in which these saints lived it was not the sphere of their lives! They were at Philippi but they were in Christ!

Þ including the overseers

The word overseers (episkopos) can also be translated as bishop. It is synonymous with the terms elder and pastor / shepherd (1 Peter 5:1-4; Acts 20:17, 28). The term elder refers to dignity and authority of the office; the word overseer refers to function or responsibility of the office; and the word pastor or shepherd refers to the specific ministry.

Notice the use of the plural “overseers.” The fact that Paul uses the plural form of the word could refer to the different pastors in the various house churches or more likely that each church had a plurality of leaders called “overseers.”

Þ and deacons

The term deacon (diakonos) refers to a servant or minister. The word is used here in a technical sense to refer to the office of Deacon (Acts 6:1-6). The ministry of the Deacon was to be primarily a physical one, while the ministry of the Overseer was to be primarily a spiritual one. This does not mean that deacon’s were not to be spiritual men (Acts 6 and 1 Timothy 3 prove the point) but only that the focus of their ministries would be different.

Notice the word “including” – including the bishops and deacons. How blessed is the church where the leaders and the followers are together in mind and ministry! Someone has said: “If we had designed the structure, the leaders would be the saints and the followers would be the servants. However, Scripture calls the followers saints and the leaders servants!”

The Greeting – v.2
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Grace is the Western/Greek greeting. Grace is what man needs but does not deserve. Grace is God’s active unmerited favor by which He bestows His greatest gift on those who deserve the greatest punishment (Ephesians 2:1-4).

As Martin Luther once said, “Grace is God’s middle name!” There is an acrostic I learned in Evangelism Explosion that goes like this…

God’s
Riches
At
Christ’s
Expense

Grace is the whole sum of blessing that comes to men from God through Christ. Paul wanted the saints at Philippi to understand and experience the fullness of God’s grace.

Peace is the Eastern/Hebrew greeting. Peace is what comes as a result of God’s grace….peace with God (Rom. 5:1-2) and the peace of God (Phil. 4:7)

Because of God’s grace we know our past is pardoned by God and that in turn gives us a sense of peace. Because of God’s grace we know our present is empowered by God and that gives us a sense of peace. Because of God’s grace we know our future is secure in God and that gives us a sense of peace. Paul wanted the saints at Philippi to understand and experience real peace.

Dr. Alva J. McClain said, “You may search the Word of God but you will never find peace first-—it is always “grace and peace” never “peace and grace.” They are the Siamese twins of the Bible. You cannot have peace until you first have had grace. A man may search and seek until the end of his life, but until he receives grace through Christ, he can never have peace.”

Here is the blessing…..when we do find God’s grace or rather when God’s grace finds us, we can have real peace!

And let us never forget where these two blessings come from! “From God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 8:32-39).

(ALMOST) EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT PHILIPPIANS BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK!

2006-09-20T17:39:00.000-07:00

When you ask people what they are missing in their lives today, many will tell you that it is real joy and peace! That is because things like circumstances, people, things and worry have taken control of their lives and have robbed them of their joy and peace. This loss of joy and peace results in personal pain, personal suffering, personal trials and broken personal relationships.

This is why a study of Philipiians is always timely. The book of Philippians helps to remind us how we can experience real joy and peace and how we can be victorious over worry that comes from people, things and circumstances. If we approach this wonderful little Epistle with an open mind and a desire to learn we will be reminded of blessings that come from experiencing the joy and peace of God.

By way of introduction, our first post is entitled “(Almost) Everything You Wanted to Know About Philippians but Were Afraid to Ask.”

I. The Background
Why study the background of a book? Because it helps to establish the context. After all, the book of Philippians is a personal letter involving a writer and recipients. In order to better understand the context several questions usually need to be asked.

 Who was the writer and why did he feel the need to write the letter?
 Who were the recipients?
 What was their culture, language and religious background like?
 What specific problems were they facing and what specific areas did they
need guidance in?

Not only is this letter, a personal letter, but it is a personal letter inspired by the Holy Spirit! To know the answers to these questions is to know and understand the will of the Holy Spirit who inspired these words. As we look at the background of this personal letter inspired by the Holy Spirit we will focus on the city of Philippi and the church at Philippi. I want to give you a brief introduction to both.

The City of Philippi

Its Location

The city of Philippi is located in the province of Macedonia some 800 miles from Rome. The site of the city was ideal because it served as a natural fortress, sitting on a range of hills that separated Europe from Asia – the East from the West. Several other factors made its location significant.

• It was located just 10 miles from the seaport of Neopolis
• It was in an area known for its abundant natural resources, such as water, timber, and precious metals; most importantly, the area contained extensive gold mines.
• It was strategically located on the great Roman road known as the “Via Egnatia” or The Egnatian Way, making it the gate way to Europe

For more information on its location I would suggest you check one of the reference maps of Paul’s missionary journeys usually found in the back of most Bibles.

Its History

The ancient name of the city was Krenides which means “little fountains” because of its numerous springs. Around 350 B.C. the name was changed to Philippi after Philip II of Macedon (the father of Alexander the Great) helped deliver the city from the neighboring Thracians. Through the exploits of Philip’s son Alexander, Philippi became the capital of the Greek empire and it remained the showcase of Greek culture for almost two-hundred years.

It has been said that if Philip and Alexander had not gone east, Paul and the Gospel which he proclaimed could not have gone west! Why? Because of the uniting effect that the Greek language had on the world. Much like the English language today, “koine” Greek became the second language of almost every culture. When Paul would go into each new city he knew that he would be able to communicate because most people were able to speak “koine” Greek as a second language. In fact, much of the New Testament was written in this language!

Around 168-167 B.C. Roman soldiers conquered Philippi and the city’s significance diminished until about 40 B.C. In 44 B.C. Julius Caesar died and a civil war broke out in Rome between the forces of Brutus / Cassius and Octavian / Antony. Two of the battles between these forces occurred near the city of Philippi.

Ultimately Octavian and Antony were victorious and began to disband their armies, many of the soldiers decided to settle in Philippi. During this time Philippi was declared a Roman Colony. Later, Octavian and Antony fought one another for sole leadership of Rome Octavian ultimately defeating Antony & Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium.

Antony’s soldiers and followers were stripped of their estates and property in Italy and were given the opportunity to join those Roman soldiers who had earlier retired in Philippi. In effect, Philippi became a miniature Rome! These Romans Colonists naturally sought to keep all their ties to Rome, including, language, titles, customs, affairs, and dress. Jus Italicum was conferred upon the entire community so that the inhabitants of the city could enjoy the economic and political privileges of Roman citizenship. Some of these privileges involved,

 Exemption from tribute
 The right to acquire, hold and transfer property
 Freedom from interference of the provincial governor
 The right and responsibility to regulate their own civic affairs

So, when Paul came to Philippi, he came to one of the most Roman of all European cities. This fact comes through in his letter in several places. For example,

In chapter 1:13 Paul mentions the “praetorian guard.” Some of his readers in Philippi may have had family members who belonged to this elite force.

In chapter 1:27 Paul uses the phrase “only conduct yourselves”… The word “conduct” (Greek politeuesthe) is the root word for politics, city (polis) and police and refers to a person’s responsibilities as a member of a community i.e. citizenship (cf. 3:20). Just as they were proud and dutiful in their Roman citizenship, they need to do the same in their heavenly citizenship.

In chapter 1:28 “in no way alarmed by your opponents-- which is a sign of destruction for them”…This phrase as we will see has reference to the Roman aspects of their lives.

In chapter 4:22 when Paul mentions “those of Caesar’s household” he is giving a nod to his Roman audience.

The Church at Philippi
The founding of the Church is recorded for us in Acts 16:6-40 during Paul’s second missionary journey probably around 51 A.D. When Paul and Barnabas determined to return to the churches founded on their first missionary journey, he and Barnabas could not agree on taking John Mark who had deserted them on their first trip. All this is recorded in Acts 15:36-38. Agreeing to disagree, Barnabas took John Mark and went to Cyprus while Paul took Silas went to Asia Minor.

As Paul and Silas left traveling west for Asia Minor, they were soon joined by a young man named Timothy.

Acts 16:1-5
1 And he came also to Derbe and to Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek, 2 and he was well spoken of by the brethren who were in Lystra and Iconium. 3 Paul wanted this man to go with him; and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4 Now while they were passing through the cities, they were delivering the decrees, which had been decided upon by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem, for them to observe. 5 So the churches were being strengthened in the faith, and were increasing in number daily. NAS

However, forbidden by the Holy Spirit to go further into Asia they were directed by a vision to go to Macedonia instead (this is often referred to as the Macedonian Call).

Acts 16:6-10
6 And they passed through the Phrygian and Galatian region, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia; 7 and when they had come to Mysia, they were trying to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them; 8 and passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a certain man of Macedonia was standing and appealing to him, and saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." 10 And when he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. NAS

Answering the call of the Spirit of God they immediately headed for Macedonia, eventually arriving in Philippi as Luke puts it, a leading city of the district of Macedonia, a Roman colony.

Acts 16:11-12
11 Therefore putting out to sea from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and on the day following to Neapolis; 12 and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia, a Roman colony; and we were staying in this city for some days. NAS

In the rest of Acts 16 we are told about three significant events surrounding the founding of the church there (Acts 16:13-40).

• Event #1 – The Conversion of Lydia – v.13-15

Acts 16:13-15
13 And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to a riverside, where we were supposing that there would be a place of prayer; and we sat down and began speaking to the women who had assembled. 14 And a certain woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul. 15 And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay." And she prevailed upon us. NAS

Paul’s normal custom was to find a Synagogue where he could initiate conversations about Christ but there was apparently no Synagogue in Philippi. Why? In 49 A.D. Emperor Claudius had expelled all Jews from Rome, since Philippi was such a strong Roman Colony it is likely that they were expelled from there also.

Instead, on this day Paul went to the riverside just outside the city gates to meet with those who were there to pray. There they met the first Philippian convert – Lydia. We are told several things about Lydia in v.13-15.

 She was a business woman – “a seller of purple [cloth]”
 She was not a native Philippian – “from the city of Thyatira”
 She was a God fearing Gentile – “who worshiped God”

The waters of Thyatira were known for their shellfish that yielded a purple dye. The Romans loved the color purple because it was the color of royalty – this no doubt was the reason she had moved to Philippi. Since the dye was very expensive, she was probably a woman of considerable means. Given her financial resources she was able to invite Paul and Silas into her home following her conversion. Because she was a Gentile Proselyte to the Jewish faith her conversion to Christ would have been a natural outworking of her desire to know God.

• Event #2 – The Exorcism of a Demon Possessed Slave Girl – v.16-23

Acts 16:16-23
16 And it happened that as we were going to the place of prayer, a certain slave-girl having a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing her masters much profit by fortunetelling. 17 Following after Paul and us, she kept crying out, saying, "These men are bond-servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation." 18 And she continued doing this for many days. But Paul was greatly annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!" And it came out at that very moment.
19 But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market place before the authorities, 20 and when they had brought them to the chief magistrates, they said, "These men are throwing our city into confusion, being Jews, 21 and are proclaiming customs which it is not lawful for us to accept or to observe, being Romans. " 22 And the crowd rose up together against them, and the chief magistrates tore their robes off them, and proceeded to order them to be beaten with rods. 23 And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely; NAS

Several brief comments can be made about this section. First, there is an obvious connection between fortune-telling and the occult. There also seems to be a connection between the occult and making a profit (v.16). Second, even the demons know the truth about God and His servants (v.17) which confirms what James wrote (James 2:19). Third, even though the demon-possessed girl spoke the truth Paul did not think her form of advertising was helpful (v.18). Fourth, in v.19-24 Luke does a good job of bringing out the Roman culture that was deeply imbedded in Philippi.

• Event #3 – The Conversion of the Philippian Jailer – v.25-34

Acts 16:25-34
25 But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; 26 and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's chains were unfastened. 27 And when the jailer had been roused out of sleep and had seen the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Do yourself no harm, for we are all here!" 29 And he called for lights and rushed in and, trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas, 30 and after he brought them out, he said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31 And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household." 32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him together with all who were in his house. 33 And he took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household. 34 And he brought them into his house and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, having believed in God with his whole household. NAS

As was often the case, Paul was able to take a circumstance that was difficult and somehow find the joy in it and be at peace. When he wrote the words of Romans 5 maybe he thought about this experience at Philippi.

Romans 5:1-5
1 Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. NAS

In v.35-40 – we see just how important the issue of Roman citizenship becomes to Paul.

Acts 16:35-40
35 Now when day came, the chief magistrates sent their policemen, saying, "Release those men." 36 And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, "The chief magistrates have sent to release you. Now therefore, come out and go in peace." 37 But Paul said to them, "They have beaten us in public without trial, men who are Romans, and have thrown us into prison; and now are they sending us away secretly? No indeed! But let them come themselves and bring us out." 38 And the policemen reported these words to the chief magistrates. And they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans, 39 and they came and appealed to them, and when they had brought them out, they kept begging them to leave the city. 40 And they went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia, and when they saw the brethren, they encouraged them and departed. NAS

What an interesting mix of people to start a church with!

 A Gentile businesswoman
 A former demon possessed slave girl
 A Roman jailer

If I was going to start a church they may not have been the three individuals I would have chosen! Yet, God did and the Philippian church became in many ways a model church – especially in their giving spirit. When Paul was in prison at Rome, the church sent Epaphroditus one of their leaders, to minister to Paul through his presence and a financial gift (Phil. 4:15-18). When encouraging the Corinthians to give to a special offering he was taking for the poor saints in Jerusalem Paul used the Philippians as an example (2 Cor. 8:1-5; 11:9).

II. The Book

The Author – v.1a – “Paul… bondservants of Christ Jesus”

The Date – around the year 62 A.D.

The Recipients – v.1b – “To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons”

The Purpose – There are several apparent reasons for writing the epistle

• To update them on Paul’s condition – (1:12-30)
• To prevent criticism of Epaphroditus – (2:25-30)
• To warn against false teachers (Judaizers) – (3:1-21)
• To call the Church to unity and harmony – (1:27; 2:2-4,
5-11, 14; 4:1-3)
• To thank the Philippians for their support – (1:5; 4:15-20;
2 Cor. 8:1ff)

Why study the book of Philippians?

1.) Because it is one of Paul’s most personal letters we are given special insight into his heart for people and his mind for ministry –
1:3-8; 12-24; 2:17-18; 3:1-14; 4:1; 10-20

2.) It is the “Epistle of Joy” – the words “joy” (4x’s) and “rejoicing” (12x’s) and “glad[ness]” (3x’s) are used 19 times in the epistle

3.) It emphasizes the kind of attitudes we should have as believers – the words “mind” and “think” are used 15 times in the epistle (with the right attitude and mindset comes peace)

4.) It emphasizes our position and relationship to Jesus – The
phrases “in Christ”; “through Christ” and “in the Lord” are used at
least 19 times in the epistle (1:13,14,26,29; 2:1,5,19,24, 29;
3:1,4,9,14; 4:1,4,7,10,13,21)

Two suggested outlines:
Outline #1 – Wiersbe

I. The Single Mind – Chapter 1 – Joy in spite of circumstances
II. The Submissive Mind – Chapter 2 – Joy in spite of people
III. The Spiritual Mind – Chapter 3 – Joy in spite of things
IV. The Secure Mind – Chapter 4 – Joy that defeats worry

Outline #2 – Flocks Study Guide

I. Greetings and expressions – Phil. 1:1-11
II. Paul’s personal circumstances: The preaching of Christ – Phil. 1:12-30
III. The pattern of the Christian life: The humility of Christ – Phil. 2:1-30
IV. The prize of the Christian life: The knowledge of Christ – Phil. 3:1-21
V. The peace of the Christian life: The presence of Christ – Phil. 4:1-23

New Series - Philippians

2006-09-19T13:43:00.000-07:00

I haven't had very much time lately to transcribe my sermons from Joshua, so I am going to share with you a series of sermons (already transcribed) I gave from Philippians. I will continue to work through Joshua, but I will try to post two or three sermons from Philiipians each week. I hope you enjoy.

As always in each series I like to give you a list of resources that I used in preparation for each sermon.

GIVING CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE
BIBLIOGRAPHY
PHILIPPIANS BIBLE STUDY

Alpha-Omega Ministries, The Teacher’s Outline & Study Bible: Philippians, Chattanooga: Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 1994

Briscoe, Stuart, Bound for Joy, Ventura: Regal, 1975, 1984

Harbour, Bryan L., Living Joyfully, Nashville: Broadman, 1991

Hendricksen, William, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon (New Testament Commentary). Grand Rapids: Baker, 1964

Hiebert, D. Edmond, An Introduction to the New Testament Vol. 2
Chicago: Moody, 1977

Jeremiah, David, Turning Toward Joy, Wheaton: Victor, 1992

Lovejoy, Thomas R., Harmony in the Church: A Study Guide for the Book of the Philippians, Panorama City: Grace Community Church, 1984

MacArthur, John, Our Sufficiency in Christ, Dallas: Word, 1991

Melick, Richard R., Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (The New American Commentary). Nashville: Broadman, 1991

Pentecost, J. Dwight, The Joy of Living: A Study of Philippians, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1973

Swindoll, Charles R., Laugh Again: Experiencing Outrageous Joy (Bible Study Guide, Philippians) Anaheim: Insight For Living, 1992, 1993

Walvoord, John F., Philippians: Triumph in Christ (Everyman’s Bible Commentary). Chicago: Moody, 1971

Wiersbe, Warren W., Be Joyful, Wheaton: Victor, 1974

Wuest, Kenneth S., Philippians in the Greek New Testament, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1942, 1966

Vine, W.E., Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, Old Tappan, Fleming H. Revell, 1981

CORPORATE SOLIDARITY PT. 2 - JOSHUA 7:10-26

2006-09-04T20:32:00.000-07:00

In our last post, we began looking at Joshua chapter 7, recognizing that God takes sin seriously and that He sometimes holds the entire body accountable for the sin of individuals. Such is the case with Israel and the sin of Achan.

Joshua 7:1
1 But the sons of Israel acted unfaithfully in regard to the things under the ban, for Achan,…took some of the things under the ban, therefore the anger of the LORD burned against the sons of Israel.NAS

This concept is called “corporate solidarity” and it is found in various places throughout the pages of Scripture (2 Chronicles 7:14; Nehemiah 1; Daniel 9; 1 Corinthians 5ff.). What is played out in Joshua 7 is the realization of this corporate solidarity in the life of Israel.

**Now, as we stated previously, there are six elements to the story, in the last post we looked at the first three, in this post we will look at the final three.

Element #1 – The Disobedience of Achan – v.1

Element #2 – The Defeat at Ai – v.2-5

Element #3 – The Dismay of Joshua – v.6-9

Element #4 – The Direction from the Lord – v.10-15
In verses 10-15 the Lord speaks to Joshua directly (as He has done previously), as He directs Joshua He does three things.

(1) He gave Joshua a mild rebuke –v.10

10 So the LORD said to Joshua, "Rise up! Why is it that you have fallen on your face?
The Lord had allowed Joshua and the Elders to stay on their faces until they got their frustration out of their system and when they finally came to an end to themselves, God said, “Get up, it is time to deal with the reason for the defeat.” There is a time to pray and then there is a time to act. Now it was time for Joshua to get up off of his face and to act.

(2) He explained to Joshua the reason for the defeat –v.11-13

11 "Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. And they have even taken some of the things under the ban and have both stolen and deceived. Moreover, they have also put them among their own things.

Here again we see the emphasis on the concept of corporate solidarity. Although Achan is the one who took the “herem” (the Hebrew word translated “accursed,” “under the ban” etc.) the Lord lays the sin at the feet of Israel (notice the use of the plural pronouns in verses 11-13 – “they,” “them,” “their” etc.). Listen to the indictment as it is spelled out to Joshua.

· Israel has “sinned”

· Israel had “transgressed” God’s covenant

· Israel had “taken” some of the things under the ban and have both “stolen and deceived”

· Israel had “put” the things under the ban among their “own things”

The bottom line is that Israel itself had become a “herem” – devoted to destruction / accursed (Joshua 6:17-19).

12 Therefore the sons of Israel cannot stand before their enemies; they turn their backs before their enemies, for they have become accursed. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy the things under the ban from your midst.
There is no double standard with God, the Canaanites had become a “herem” because of their sins and now Israel had become one as well. Although we don’t see it in the English text, the word “herem” is repeated six times in this section (v.11-15). The repetition reveals the severity of the disobedience and the consistency of God’s attitude toward sin.

v.11 – And they have even taken some of the things under the ban

v.12 – for they have become accursed
v.12 – I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy the things under the ban from your midst

v.13 – “Rise up! Consecrate the people and say, 'Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, for thus the LORD, the God of Israel, has said," There are things under the ban in your midst, O Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you have removed the things under the ban from your midst.”

v.15 – 'And it shall be that the one who is taken with the things under the ban shall be burned with fire

As long as Israel allowed this “herem” to exist to exist in their midst, God would not be with them.

· I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy the things under the ban from your midst – v.12

· You cannot stand before your enemies until you have removed the things under the ban from your midst – v.13

(3) He revealed unique instructions to Joshua on how they were to discover the culprit – v.13-15

13 “Rise up! Consecrate the people and say, 'Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, for thus the LORD, the God of Israel, has said," There are things under the ban in your midst, O Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you have removed the things under the ban from your midst.” 14 'In the morning then you shall come near by your tribes. And it shall be that the tribe which the LORD takes by lot shall come near by families, and the family which the LORD takes shall come near by households, and the household which the LORD takes shall come near man by man.
The key to the discovery would be that each individual member would consecrate themselves first (Psalm 139:23-24). Then, God would direct a fourfold process where the culprit would be discovered. This process involved identifying first, the tribe of the individual, then the family of the individual, then the household of the individual and finally, the individual himself.

Exactly how this identification was done is not made clear in the text, only that the Lord would direct it. The NASB says that the Lord would take each group “by lot.” However, the phrase “by lot” is in italics which indicates that it was not in the original but added by the translators ostensibly to help clarify the text (see 1 Samuel 14:36-43 for a similar case). Given that the lot was often used as a means of determining God’s will, it could well be that it was used by the Lord to identify the sinner who brought all this on Israel, the text just doesn’t say that for sure (for an interesting description of how the lot may have been used in this instance see Paul Enns in his volume on Joshua, pp. 67).

15 'And it shall be that the one who is taken with the things under the ban shall be burned with fire, he and all that belongs to him, because he has transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and because he has committed a disgraceful thing in Israel.' "
Verse 15 reiterates the seriousness of the sin. Achan had “committed a disgraceful thing in Israel.” The phrase “disgraceful thing” speaks of a flagrant sin. God is saying that Achan has done this with his eyes wide open, knowing the consequences if he were to be caught.

Element #5 – The Discovery of Achan – v.16-21
Whenever I read this passage I am reminded of a movie I once saw in school called “The Lottery.” You can find a brief synopsis of the movie here. I will never forget watching the process this little town went through to select the person who would be sacrificed by stoning. That process was very similar as to what happened in Joshua, although the reason was completely different. Nonetheless, it was a horrifying experience.

16 So Joshua arose early in the morning
This is a phrase that is used five times in the book of Joshua and is always used in the context of Joshua fulfilling some assignment from God.

16 So Joshua arose early in the morning and brought Israel near by tribes, and the tribe of Judah was taken. 17 And he brought the family of Judah near, and he took the family of the Zerahites; and he brought the family of the Zerahites near man by man, and Zabdi was taken. 18 And he brought his household near man by man; and Achan, son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, was taken.
In following God’s instructions, Joshua was methodical in identifying the culprit. First the tribe of Judah was taken. Then the family of Zerah was taken. Next, the household of Zabdi was taken. Finally, Achan the son of Carmi was taken.

Think about what must have been going through Achan’s mind as “the accusing finger of God pointed closer and closer to him.” Achan learned what we all should instinctively know, nobody can hide from God.

Jeremiah 23:24
24 "Can a man hide himself in hiding places,
So I do not see him?" declares the LORD.
"Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?" declares the LORD.NAS

Jeremiah 16:17
17 "For My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from My face, nor is their iniquity concealed from My eyes. NAS

As Warren Wiersbe writes,

Whether sinners run to the top of the mountains or dive to the bottom of the seas, God will find them and judge them (Amos 9:3). “For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” (Ecc. 12:14). “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” asked the prophet (Jer. 17:9); and he answered the question in the next verse: “I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings” (Be strong, pp. 91).

What Achan could hide from the rest of Israel, he could not hide from God. How sobering that should be to us.

Now as we come to verse 19-21 all eyes turn to Achan.

19 Then Joshua said to Achan, "My son, I implore you, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, and give praise to Him; and tell me now what you have done. Do not hide it from me."

Many in the crowd must have wondered what this man could have done that so displeased the Lord. The families of the thirty-six soldiers who were killed as they attacked Ai must have especially wanted to know.

In any event, Joshua turns his attention to Achan and addresses him personally. As he addresses Achan Joshua tells him to do three things. Taken together these three things encompass Joshua admonition to give glory to the LORD.

First, he tells Achan to “give praise to Him.” The NKJV says, “and make confession to Him.” Interestingly, the Hebrew words for praise and confession come from the same root word. When we confess our sin to God, we are in essence giving Him praise because we are acknowledging that we have sinned against Him. In the New Testament the word confess (homologeo) means to agree or acknowledge. What do we agree with God about? We agree that our sin has been against Him.

Second, he says to Achan, “tell me now what you have done.” Not only was Achan to confess his sin to God, but he was also to confess his sin corporately to Joshua, the Elders and the people. Corporate confession is important, especially given the fact that God was holding Israel corporately responsible for the sin of Achan.

Third, Joshua tells Achan to come completely clean about his sin, “do not hide it from me.” When a group is experiencing the consequences of sin corporately, there must be confession to God, to the group and their must be integrity with the individual by coming clean about the sin.

20 So Achan answered Joshua and said, "Truly, I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel, and this is what I did: 21 when I saw among the spoil a beautiful mantle from Shinar and two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold fifty shekels in weight, then I coveted them and took them; and behold, they are concealed in the earth inside my tent with the silver underneath it."
Achan heeds Joshua’s admonition and confesses his sin. The evidence that this is a sincere confession can be seen in the fact that Achan gives complete confession. He acknowledged that his sin was a sin against God. He had violated the first, eighth and ninth Commandments (Exodus 20:3, 15, 17). He had violated God’s instructions in Deuteronomy 20:10-20 and Leviticus 19:11.

Also, note the description of his temptation in v.21 and how it parallels Eve’s temptation in Genesis 3:6. In fact the same Hebrew verbs are used in both descriptions. They both “saw,” they both “coveted” (desired), and they both “took.” Notice too, that after they sinned they both tried to hide what they had done from God (Genesis 3:7ff). Remember that sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59:2). The sin of Achan and of Eve is even more tragic when you consider what God had done for both of them.

Achan’s sin becomes even more odious when you stop to realize all that God had done for him. God had cared for him and his family in the wilderness. He had brought them safely across the Jordan and given the army victory at Jericho. The Lord had accepted Achan as a son of the covenant at Gilgal. Yet in spite of all these wonderful experiences, Achan disobeyed God just to possess some wealth that he couldn’t even enjoy. Had he waited just a day or two, he could have gathered all the spoils he wanted from the victory at Ai! “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matt. 6:33, NKJV) (Warren Wiersbe, Be Strong, pp. 86).

The question arises, why did God use the tactic that He did to identify Achan? Why didn’t He just immediately tell Joshua who it was so that they could deal with it and move on? Gene Getz offers two possible reasons.

First, God wanted Israel to observe the process and to never forget! As each lot fell and as each tribe, family and household was identified, all Israel would have a chance to think hard and long about the seriousness of violating God’s commandments! Short memories often need dramatic experiences!

Second, I believe God, in His divine love and mercy, was once again offering a way of escape to a man who had woefully disobeyed Him. Had Achan immediately confessed and truly repented of his sin, he and his whole household may have been spared! It would be consistent with God’s nature to do this, for years later He pardoned David the King of Israel who committed two horrible sins which should have brought him death. But because of David’s repentant heart the Lord spared him.

In Achan’s situation it seems that God was giving him time–just as He did for the people of Jericho. First, his tribe was identified—then, his family, and finally his household! And then the lot fell on him! After all this, Achan confessed his sin! His back was against the wall. He had no choice, His confession was forced! It was too
late—just as it will be for many someday when every knee shall bow before God and acknowledge who He is (see Phil. 2:10,11) (Joshua: Defeat To Victory, pp. 113-114).

Element #6 – The Destruction of Achan and His Household – v.22-26

22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and behold, it was concealed in his tent with the silver underneath it. 23 And they took them from inside the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the sons of Israel, and they poured them out before the LORD.
Verse 22 confirms the veracity of Achan’s confession! They went to his tent and found the silver where he said it would be. Also, notice the phrase “poured them out before the Lord” in verse 23. It is a phrase that is used in other places to refer to a drink offering. It is also used of someone being ceremonially anointed with oil. The stolen items were retrieved from Achan’s tent and symbolically “poured out” before the Lord, returning what belonged to Him.

24 Then Joshua and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the mantle, the bar of gold, his sons, his daughters, his oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent and all that belonged to him; and they brought them up to the valley of Achor.
Notice the word “all” in verse 24. It is important because it once again emphasizes corporate solidarity. The execution of Achan would be a corporate response to the corporate guilt that Achan had brought upon Israel.

25 And Joshua said, "Why have you troubled us? The LORD will trouble you this day." And all Israel stoned them with stones; and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones.
In view of Deuteronomy 24:16 which tells us that no one is to be put to death for another family member’s sin and that everyone shall be put to death for his own sin, Achan’s family must have been complicit in his sin.

26 And they raised over him a great heap of stones that stands to this day, and the LORD turned from the fierceness of His anger. Therefore the name of that place has been called the valley of Achor to this day.
The wording in verse 26 calls to mind the memorial established in chapter 4. In a short period of time we have two memorials established for Israel, one positive and one negative. One memorial reminded Israel of God’s protection and power and the other reminded them of His holiness and justice. One focused on the consequences of faith while the other focused on the consequences of sin.

It is important to note this merciful phrase, and the LORD turned from the fierceness of His anger. This is what God did for us on the cross. On Jesus He poured out His anger and wrath against sin, so that we might be saved from the consequences of sin (Romans 6:23). Thankfully, none of us today have to pay for our sin with our own lives Jesus Christ did that for us. In His death he atoned for our sin, he appeased the wrath of God and made it possible for us to be reconciled to God. This concept is explained wonderfully for us in 2 Corinthians 5:11-21.

11 Therefore knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest to God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences. 12 We are not again commending ourselves to you but are giving you an occasion to be proud of us, that you may have an answer for those who take pride in appearance, and not in heart. 13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; 15 and He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. 16 Therefore from now on we recognize no man according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. 17 Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.NAS

If you have not yet been reconciled to God by faith in Jesus Christ, we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God!

**Rather than reinvent the wheel, and because it is so good, I have used Paul Enns outline on Joshua 7 (Paul Enns, BSC, Joshua, pp. 63-70).

CORPORATE SOLIDARITY PT. 1 - JOSHUA 7:1-9

2006-08-24T17:09:00.000-07:00

Joshua is a book of successes, recounting the Lord’s faithfulness in bringing Israel into the land. Joshua 7 however, is an exception to that theme. In fact, the first word in the chapter signals that something is not quite right. “But,” a word of contrast is used to illustrate that we are going to go from the mountain top of victory at Jericho to the valley of defeat at Ai. The positive end of chapter 6 is quickly shattered by the sin of Achan in chapter 7.

The corporate consequences of this one man’s sin are nearly devastating to the nation and Joshua, its leader. As we look at this story it becomes clear that God takes sin seriously and that He often holds the entire body accountable for the actions of individuals. This concept is called “corporate solidarity” and we find it throughout the Old Testament (2 Chronicles 7:14; Nehemiah 1; Daniel 9) and the New Testament as well (1 Corinthians 5).

We will be discussing the implications of this concept as the story of Achan’s sin unfolds before us. There are six elements on which we will be focusing.

Element #1 – The Disobedience of Achan – v.1
1 But the sons of Israel acted unfaithfully in regard to the things under the ban,
Here we see the concept of corporate solidarity when it comes to the area of sin. The text makes it clear that God saw the sin of Achan as corporate disobedience. Warren Wiersbe writes,

Why would God blame the whole nation for the disobedience of only one soldier? Because Israel was one people in the Lord and not just an assorted collection of tribes, clans, families and individuals. God dwelt in the midst of their camp (Ex. 19:5-6). Jehovah God walked about their camp, and therefore the camp was to be kept holy and this defilement affected their relationship to the Lord and to one another (Be Strong, pp. 84).

The terminology used here is significant. The phrase acted unfaithfully is the term used to describe a wife’s adultery in Numbers 5:12-13. It refers to a betrayal of trust that existed between two parties…namely God and man. This betrayal of trust involved breaking the fundamental covenantal relationship between God and Israel (as v.11, 15 make clear).

for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, took some of the things under the ban, therefore the anger of the LORD burned against the sons of Israel.
Achan’s sin therefore, was much more than stealing something that belonged to God, it was an unfaithful act of betrayal by making something other than God the object of his affection. It was a violation of the first of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3). In this case the object of his affection was the “herem,” the thing that God had devoted to destruction (6:17-19). Because of Achan’s unfaithful act toward God, God imputed, if you will, the sin of Achan to the entire nation of Israel (see Romans 5:12-21 for the concept of imputation). Interestingly, the name Achan means troubler, in committing this sin he certainly was living up to his name.

Element #2 – The Defeat at Ai – v.2-5
2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, "Go up and spy out the land." So the men went up and spied out Ai. 3 And they returned to Joshua and said to him, "Do not let all the people go up; only about two or three thousand men need go up to Ai; do not make all the people toil up there, for they are few."
While the defeat at Ai can be laid solely at the feet of Achan, you can’t help but detect a note of overconfidence in the spies’ advice to Joshua. Also, it seems significant that God is not a part of the equation as Israel developed its plan of attack. Whereas before the battle of Jericho, Joshua received specific instructions about how to approach the battle, there is no indication that Joshua sought or received the Lord’s input in their plans for attacking Ai. Could it be the case that they were walking by sight and not by faith?

It is impossible for us to enter into Joshua’s mind and fully understand his thinking. No doubt the impressive victory at Jericho had given Joshua and his army a great deal of self-confidence; and self-confidence can lead to presumption. Since Ai was a smaller city than Jericho, victory seemed inevitable from the human point of view. But instead of seeking the mind of the Lord, Joshua accepted the counsel of his spies; and this led to defeat. He would later repeat this mistake in his dealings with the Gibeonites (Josh. 9).

The spies said nothing about the Lord; their whole report focused on the army and their confidence that Israel would have victory. You don’t hear these men saying, “If the Lord will” (James 4:13-17). They were sure that the whole army
wasn’t needed for the assault, but that wasn’t God’s strategy when He gave the orders for the second attack on Ai (Josh. 8:1). Since God’s thoughts are not our thoughts (Isa. 55:8-9), we’d better take time to seek His direction. “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Prov. 16:18, NKJV). What Israel needed was God-confidence, not self-confidence (Warren Wiersbe, Be Strong, pp. 87).

We would do well to remind ourselves of this danger in our own ministry endeavors. All too often we go about doing ministry or even just living our lives in the flesh with self-confidence, rather than being led by the Spirit, with God-confidence.

Now Israel experienced three sad consequences because of Achan’s disobedience…

Consequence #1 – They experienced the disgrace of defeat – v.4

What a contrast between the battle of Jericho…

Joshua 6:20
20 So the people shouted, and priests blew the trumpets; and it came about, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, that the people shouted with a great shout and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight ahead, and they took the city.
…and the battle at Ai…

4 So about three thousand men from the people went up there, but they fled from the men of Ai.
This wasn’t supposed to happen. The nation that had struck fear in the hearts of the Canaanites was now running away in retreat and defeat.

Consequence #2 – They experienced the deaths of thirty-six men – v.5a

5 And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of their men, and pursued them from the gate as far as Shebarim, and struck them down on the descent,
Thirty-six casualties may not seem like a lot in light of thousands that went into battle, but it was thirty-six more than they experienced at Jericho.

Consequence #3 – They experienced the discouragement of the people – v.5b
so the hearts of the people melted and became as water.
The wording here is intentional especially in light of previous verses.

Joshua 2:9
9 and said to the men, "I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before you. NAS

Joshua 2:11
11 And when we heard it, our hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you; for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. NAS

Joshua 2:24
24 And they said to Joshua, "Surely the LORD has given all the land into our hands, and all the inhabitants of the land, moreover, have melted away before us." NAS

Joshua 5:1
1 Now it came about when all the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard how the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the sons of Israel until they had crossed, that their hearts melted, and there was no spirit in them any longer, because of the sons of Israel. NAS

Because of Achan’s sin, Israel in essence became like the Canaanites, alone, without any true God to protect them and they were “melting away” with fear.

Element #3 – The Dismay of Joshua – v.6-9
The leader, who had earlier been magnified, was now mortified! More than anything, Joshua was caught off-guard by this defeat. Remember at this point Joshua still did not know why Israel had experienced this defeat. In his confusion Joshua expressed his dismay in two ways.

(1) He expressed his dismay through the act of mourning – v.6

6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the LORD until the evening, both he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust on their heads.
The act of tearing his clothes and falling on his face was an expression of Joshua’s mourning. David M. Howard gives some good background on the practice of mourning in the OT.

The actions of mourning here are much more dramatic than most mourning customs in the modern Western world. However, they were common in Israel and the ancient Near East. Other mourning customs indicated in the OT include weeping (Ps 6:6; Jer 9:1), beating the chest (Isa 32:12), lifting up the hands (Ps 141:2; Ezra 9:5), lying or sitting in silence (Judg 20:26; 2 Sam 12:16), bowing the head (Lam 2:10), fasting (2 Sam 3:35), wearing of sackcloth (Gen 37:34), sprinkling of ashes, dust, or dirt (as here; 2 Sam 15:32). There was even a class of professional women mourners who could be called to mourn on specific occasions (Jer 9:17, 20; Amos 5:16-17). Israelites were strictly prohibited from practicing some pagan mourning rites, however, such as cutting the flesh or shaving the beard (Lev 19:28; Deut. 14:1; Jer 16:6) (NAC: Joshua, pp. 191 see footnote).

Sadly, only now do we find Joshua humbled before the Lord. Warren Wiersbe adds, “Had Joshua humbled himself before the battle, the situation would have been different after the battle.”

(2) He expressed his dismay through prayer – v.7-9

7 And Joshua said, "Alas, O Lord GOD, why didst Thou ever bring this people over the Jordan, only to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? If only we had been willing to dwell beyond the Jordan!
In some ways Joshua’s words in verse 7 remind us of the words spoken by the unbelieving spies and people at Kadesh-Barnea (Numbers 13-14). The difference is that the wilderness generation complained against God due to their unbelief, whereas Joshua’s complaint was to God due to confusion and disappointment. Complaining to God is not the same thing as complaining against God. There is no doubt that Joshua still trusted the Lord, he just didn’t understand what was happening.

Note how Joshua addresses God, “Alas, O Lord GOD.” Lord GOD is Adonai Jehovah in the Hebrew and it means Sovereign LORD. While Joshua didn’t understand what was happening, he did know and acknowledge that God was in control. In verses 8-9, Joshua mentions two concerns in his prayer.

His first concern was for Israel’s reputation.

8 "O Lord, what can I say since Israel has turned their back before their enemies? 9 "For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it, and they will surround us and cut off our name from the earth.

One of the severest consequences to sin is the damage that it does to the reputation of the corporate body. Here Joshua acknowledges this consequence as he cries out to God for answers. In noting the why (v.7), what (v.8), what (v.9) of Joshua’s prayer, Irving L Jensen points out that Joshua is not seeking to know the cause for Israel’s defeat at Ai, but the reason that the sovereign Lord has designed it to be so. In other words, Joshua “apparently attributes it [the defeat at Ai] to sovereign design, and [he] asks only the reason for such design.”

Many times we suffer the consequences for sin and instead of looking at the sin itself (the cause of the consequences) we blame God. Israel’s reputation had been damaged because it had turned their back before their enemies. The word “turned” means to overturn and is used elsewhere to indicate great turmoil. By having to flee and turn the back of its neck (the literal meaning of the phrase) Israel experienced great turmoil and shame. Its reputation had been sullied by the defeat and now the surrounding nations would hear about it and gain in confidence.

To his credit, Joshua does not express any concern for his own reputation although it would be impacted by what had happened. In addition, this defeat would cause the reputation of the Lord to be damaged as well. This leads us to his second concern.

His second concern was for the Lord’s reputation

And what wilt Thou do for Thy great name?

Given that Israel was God’s chosen nation, His reputation would be linked to theirs. Moses understood this connection and used it in his intercession for the people at Kadesh-Barnea.

Numbers 14:13-16
13 But Moses said to the LORD, "Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for by Thy strength Thou didst bring up this people from their midst, 14 and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that Thou, O LORD, art in the midst of this people, for Thou, O LORD, art seen eye to eye, while Thy cloud stands over them; and Thou dost go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night. 15 Now if Thou dost slay this people as one man, then the nations who have heard of Thy fame will say, 16 'Because the LORD could not bring this people into the land which He promised them by oath, therefore He slaughtered them in the wilderness.' NAS

God’s great name would be tarnished because of the sin of Achan and of Israel, and Joshua was concerned about it.

Today, we in the church are called by the name of Christ. We are Christ-ians. How concerned are we about preserving His reputation? Just as Israel was the visible representative of the LORD, so we are the visible representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ. As the song writer has said, “You are the only Jesus some will ever see.” What does your life do for the reputation of our Lord? Are you seeking to preserve His good name? What are your actions doing for the reputation of your church? Do you live in such a way as to bring honor to it (1 Peter 2:11-25; Ephesians 4:17-5:17)?

Matthew 5:13-16
13 "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how will it be made salty again? It is good for nothing anymore, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. 14 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 "Nor do men light a lamp, and put it under the peck-measure, but on the lampstand; and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. NAS

LET THE CONQUEST BEGIN PT. 3 - JOSHUA 6:22-27

2006-08-16T11:40:00.000-07:00

Josh 6:22-27
22 And Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, "Go into the harlot's house and bring the woman and all she has out of there, as you have sworn to her."
23 So the young men who were spies went in and brought out Rahab and her father and her mother and her brothers and all she had; they also brought out all her relatives, and placed them outside the camp of Israel.
24 And they burned the city with fire, and all that was in it. Only the silver and gold and articles of bronze and iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD.
25 However, Rahab the harlot and her father's household and all she had, Joshua spared; and she has lived in the midst of Israel to this day, for she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.
26 Then Joshua made them take an oath at that time, saying, "Cursed before the LORD is the man who rises up and builds this city Jericho; with the loss of his first-born he shall lay its foundation, and with the loss of his youngest son he shall set up its gates."
27 So the LORD was with Joshua, and his fame was in all the land.(NAS)

This is the third and final post on Joshua chapter 6, also known as the “Battle of Jericho.” There are five points of focus or emphasis in the story. We have looked at three, and in this post we will look at the last two.

Emphasis #1 – The Specific Instructions – v.1-7
Emphasis #2 – The Solemn procession – v.8-16
Emphasis #3 – The Shout of Destruction – v.17-21, 24

Verses 17-19 is a parenthetical section that that summarizes additional instructions given to Israel about how to deal with various people and things in this specific battle.

(1) How to Deal with the City and its Inhabitants – v.17a

The city and its inhabitants were to be a “herem” – devoted to the Lord for destruction. Why would God require this? He required this so as to keep Israel pure from the influence of the inhabitants of the land and to punish the Canaanites for their wickedness. This is all apart of God’s long war against sin and Satan.

(2) How to Deal with Rahab and Her Family – v.17b

Rahab and her family were to be spared because of her faith to God’s grace.

(3) How to Deal with the Material Possessions Found in Jericho – v.18-19

These items were not to be destroyed by fire instead they were to be placed in the Lord’s treasury. Jericho and all of its people and treasures were a kind of firstfruits offering to God, as a guarantee of the rest of the harvest or conquest to come. Later Israel would be able to share in the spoils of victory, but not here because everything in Jericho belonged to God. If anyone disobeyed, they themselves would become a “herem.” In the next chapter we will see that this actually does occur.

Verses 20-21, 24 describe the actual battle of Jericho and its destruction (v.20 picks up where v.16 left off). This was a visual reminder of Moses’ words in Deuteronomy 4:15-24.

15 "So watch yourselves carefully, since you did not see any form on the day the LORD spoke to you at Horeb from the midst of the fire,
16 lest you act corruptly and make a graven image for yourselves in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female,
17 the likeness of any animal that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the sky,
18 the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water below the earth.
19 "And beware, lest you lift up your eyes to heaven and see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, and be drawn away and worship them and serve them, those which the LORD your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven.
20 "But the LORD has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, from Egypt, to be a people for His own possession, as today.
21 "Now the LORD was angry with me on your account, and swore that I should not cross the Jordan, and that I should not enter the good land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance.
22 "For I shall die in this land, I shall not cross the Jordan, but you shall cross and take possession of this good land.
23 "So watch yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which He made with you, and make for yourselves a graven image in the form of anything against which the LORD your God has commanded you.
24 "For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.(NAS)

“For the Lord your God is a consuming fire”

Joshua 6:24

And they burned the city with fire, and all that was in it.
As a consuming fire God is revealed to be holy! Although He is loving, merciful and gracious, He is also holy, righteous and just, and He hates sin.

Element #4 – The Scene of Salvation – v.22-25
22 And Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, "Go into the harlot's house and bring the woman and all she has out of there, as you have sworn to her."
23 So the young men who were spies went in and brought out Rahab and her father and her mother and her brothers and all she had; they also brought out all her relatives, and placed them outside the camp of Israel.
24 And they burned the city with fire, and all that was in it. Only the silver and gold and articles of bronze and iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD.
25 However, Rahab the harlot and her father's household and all she had, Joshua spared; and she has lived in the midst of Israel to this day, for she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.
Often as we study Scripture we come across passages were themes of judgment and destruction stand side by side with themes of salvation and deliverance. For example,

· In Genesis 6-9 you have the story of the salvation / deliverance of Noah and his family interwoven in the context of the judgment and destruction of the world by flood.

· In Genesis 18-19 you have the story of salvation / deliverance of Lot interwoven in the context of judgment and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

· In Exodus 11-12 you have the story of the salvation / deliverance of Israel at the Passover interwoven in the context of judgment and the destruction of Egypt in the plagues.

It should not surprise then, that in the midst of the judgment and destruction of Jericho we find the scene of salvation and deliverance involving Rahab and her family. In an act of grace God spared the house of Rahab when the walls had fallen down. It seems apparent that the section of the wall that housed them did not fall down. It wasn’t even necessary for the two spies to look for the scarlet cord! In the midst of utter destruction standing alone was the house of the woman and her family, perfectly preserved by God! Note the gracious words of v.23.

So the young men who were spies went in and brought out Rahab and her father and her mother and her brothers and all she had; they also brought out all her relatives
Because of the faith of one woman (Hebrews 11:31) a whole family was able to experience the deliverance of Jehovah. Although the text does not say so, it would seem consistent with God’s salvation that she had led her family to trust in Jehovah, prior to the attack.

“These Gentile believers were rescued from a fiery judgment because they trusted the God of Israel, for “salvation is of the Jews” (John 4:22). They were “afar off” as far as the covenants were concerned (Eph. 2:11-12), but their faith brought them into the nation of Israel; for Rahab married Salmon and became an ancestress of King David and of the Messiah! (Matt. 1:5) (Wiersbe)

Once they were rescued we are told that they were

Placed…outside the camp of Israel

Why? Because as Gentiles they were still ritually unclean and “outside the camp” was
the place designated for the unclean (Numbers 5:1-4; Deuteronomy 23:9-14). The
camp of Israel itself was to be a holy place and Rahab and her family needed to be made ritually clean. This would no doubt include the circumcision of the males and the washing of the clothing and a submission to the Law of Moses. After which, they would be received into the congregation of Israel. This is what v. 25 indicates happened.

However, Rahab the harlot and her father's household and all she had, Joshua spared; and she has lived in the midst of Israel to this day, for she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

Warren Wiersbe sees God’s grace written all over this event.

What grace that God spared Rahab and her loved ones, and what abundant grace that He chose her, an outcast Gentile, to be an ancestress of the Savior!

Like Jericho of old, our present world is under the judgment of God (John 3:18-21; Rom. 3:10-19); and His judgment will eventually fall. No matter what “walls” and “gates” this present evil world will try to hide behind, God’s wrath will eventually meet them. God has given this lost world plenty of evidence so that sinners can believe and be saved (Josh. 2:8-13; Rom. 1:18ff). The tragedy is, lost sinners willingly reject the evidence and continue in their sins (John 12:35-41).

Think about it, they willingly reject His awesome grace.

Element #5 – The Serious Declaration – v.26-27
26 Then Joshua made them take an oath at that time, saying, "Cursed before the LORD is the man who rises up and builds this city Jericho; with the loss of his first-born he shall lay its foundation, and with the loss of his youngest son he shall set up its gates."
27 So the LORD was with Joshua, and his fame was in all the land.
In essence Joshua pronounces a curse against anyone who would seek to rebuild the city of Jericho and its walls. Instead, Jericho was to remain an object lesson of God’s hatred of sin and His great victory that He gave Israel at the beginning of the conquest. This curse had severe consequences.

"Cursed before the LORD is the man who rises up and builds this city Jericho; with the loss of his first-born he shall lay its foundation, and with the loss of his youngest son he shall set up its gates."
Interestingly enough, the curse was fulfilled many years later in the life of a man named Hiel.

1 Kings 16:34

In his days Hiel the Bethelite built Jericho; he laid its foundations with the loss of Abiram his first-born, and set up its gates with the loss of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which He spoke by Joshua the son of Nun. (NAS)

Verse 27 serves as another reminder of God’s faithfulness to Joshua (Joshua 3:7).

What are some of the lessons that we can learn from this chapter?

Lesson #1 – The Importance of Faithful Obedience
The strange and specific instructions given by God were obeyed faithfully as Israel marched around Jericho as they were told. God always rewards obedience.

Lesson #2 – The Importance of Holiness
This is seen in the “herem” and in the way that Rahab and her family were quarantined until they could be made ceremonially clean.

2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1

14 Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?
15 Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?
16 Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
17 "Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate," says the Lord. "And do not touch what is unclean; and I will welcome you.
18 "And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me," says the Lord Almighty.

1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.(NAS)

Lesson #3 – The Importance of Having a Right View of God
In Joshua 6, God gives us special insight into who He is. It is an awesome revelation of Himself. Irving L Jensen suggests some of the attributes of God we see in chapter 6 (Rest Land Won, pp. 61-63).

(1) His Constant Presence

As was the case when Israel crossed the Jordan, the Ark of the Covenant has a prominent place in the procession. The ark symbolized God’s constant presence among His people. It must have been reassuring to those involved in the solemn possession to know that God was in their midst.

(2) His Sovereignty

Jensen Writes:

The battles of Israel were God’s battles against His enemies, fought through His people for His people. The ram’s horns blown by the priests were not military trumpets, but jubilee trumpets, such as were usually associated with the year of jubilee, for this was a religious, not a military undertaking

(3) His Thoroughgoing Demands

Jensen tells us that “the Israelites were learning again and again that there were no halfway measures with God.”

He promised all of Canaan to Israel. He punished all unbelievers in the wilderness for their disobedience. He demanded that all tribes help in the conquest. Circumcision was to be restored to all male Israelites. All the law must be kept. All the heart must seek after God. Here, at Jericho, all the people were to shout, the city was utterly destroyed, even to the extent of pronouncing a curse on its future restorer (6:26).

He goes on to say,

The number seven, a number of wholeness and completeness, symbolized this aspect of God’s nature. There were to be seven days of marching, seven encirclings on the seventh day, and seven priests blowing seven horns…

(4) His Holy Wrath

The decision to engage in the conquest of the land was not Israel’s but Gods. According to Jensen knowing God’s reason for punishing the Canaanites gave Israel better insight into God’s holiness.

Some of the practices that God intended to purge from the land for Israel’s benefit were paganism, polytheism, religious prostitution, infant sacrifice and other corrupt and brutal practices. Jensen writes,

Furthermore, the slaughter of all the inhabitants of Jericho—young and old, with the exception of Rahab and her household (6:21-22) – was totally justifiable on the basis of the sovereign right of the holy Creator to design life from its beginning to its end, which design included the unmixability of sin and holiness. The wars of Israel against the idolatrous nations of Canaan were God’s holy wars, and their disposition of the prisoners was the fulfillment of God’s orders. If only Israel had learned for her future days that her idolatry would reap the vengeance of the same holy God.

Remember in all of this talk about God holy wrath that God had known what He was going to do to the Canaanites, yet patiently and graciously waited for over four-hundred years for them to repent.

2 Peter 3:9
9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. NAS

LET THE CONQUEST BEGIN PT. 2 - JOSHUA 6:17-21

2006-08-08T14:56:00.000-07:00

Many people today are embarrassed and repelled by passages like Joshua chapter six. For them, the supernatural nature of the walls falling down taxes their credulity. In addition, they balk at the idea that a loving and just God could require the total annihilation of a group of people. For example, in an article entitled, Joshua, Calvin and Genocide, R. Goetz wrote,

“The book of Joshua is embarrassment enough, with its ferocity and its religious advocacy of mass murder”

Goetz goes on to speak of the “guilt of the living God” because of His activities recorded in places like Joshua six (Quoted by David M. Howard, NAC: Joshua, pp. 184).

It is not surprising that some people would walk away from Joshua chapter six with that opinion, because the story recorded here for us is stark and severe. The problem is in the approach. Most people approach passages like this from a human perspective, whereas they are meant to be looked at from a divine perspective.

In our desire to make the Christian faith more attractive to others we have sought to minimize concepts like holiness, justice and divine wrath, and we have sentimentalized concepts like peace, love and goodwill. Don’t get me wrong, the message of the gospel is “peace on earth, goodwill toward man.” However, that peace and goodwill came at a price and it is only available because of God’s holy warfare against Satan and sin.That holy war began immediately after the fall (Genesis 3:15) and it will culminate when Jesus Christ returns to the earth as a conqueror to establish His earthly kingdom (Revelation 19:11-22) and in between, we have recorded for us the victory that was secured for us by Jesus’ death on the cross (Colossians 2:13-15).

If we choose to ignore or dismiss passages like Joshua chapter six, then we minimize God’s long war against Satan and sin, and as we will see, the events recorded for us in chapter six are related to that long war of God and His plan of redemption.

In our last post, we said that there were five points of focus or emphasis, in the story, and we looked at the first two.

Emphasis #1 – The Specific Instructions – v.1-7

The priests and the army were to march around the city once a day for six days and on the seventh day they were to march around the city seven times then, seven priests were to blow their seven rams horns, the people were to shout, the wall would fall and then they would charge Jericho.

Emphasis #2 – The Solemn Procession – v.8-16

The events of day are summarized (v. 8-11), the events of days two through six are summarized (v.12-14), and the events of day seven are summarized (v.15-16).

Why this solemn procession? Israel needed to learn that no situation is too great for the Lord to handle and no problem is too hard for Him to solve. The inhabitants of Jericho needed to know that God was patiently waiting for them to repent. They had been aware for forty years that judgment was coming (2:9-11), yet, God was graciously giving them one more chance. Rahab and her family are proof that if any others would have repented, God would have spared them.

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. NAS

Emphasis #3 – The Shout of Destruction – v.17-21, 24

Verses 17-19 are meant to be parenthetical and they describe some of the other instructions that Joshua gave to the people earlier. These instructions describe how Israel is to deal with three various elements in the attack.

(1) It describes how to deal with the city and its inhabitants – v.17a

17 And the city shall be under the ban, it and all that is in it belongs to the LORD

The phrase “under the ban” is the Hebrew word herem and it is not an easy word to define because it constitutes a concept that is unfamiliar to the modern mind. It literally speaks of something or someone “devoted to God for destruction.” It refers to the irrevocable act of giving of things or persons to the Lord for destruction.

Why would God command that a whole group of people be given over or devoted to the Him for destruction? A study of Scripture reveals two reasons.

Reason #1 – To punish them for their sin

Genesis 15:16 is a key passage in this regard.

16 Then in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet complete." NAS

For hundreds of years, God had been patient with the Canaanites even though they were involved in the most vile of sins. Leviticus 18:3-30 gives us a very detailed list.

Leviticus 18:33 'You shall not do what is done in the land of Egypt where you lived, nor are you to do what is done in the land of Canaan where I am bringing you; you shall not walk in their statutes. NAS

They committed sins of incest – v.6-18

6 'None of you shall approach any blood relative of his to uncover nakedness; I am the LORD. 7 'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, that is, the nakedness of your mother. She is your mother; you are not to uncover her nakedness. 8 'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's wife; it is your father's nakedness. 9 'The nakedness of your sister, either your father's daughter or your mother's daughter, whether born at home or born outside, their nakedness you shall not uncover. 10 'The nakedness of your son's daughter or your daughter's daughter, their nakedness you shall not uncover; for their nakedness is yours. 11 'The nakedness of your father's wife's daughter, born to your father, she is your sister, you shall not uncover her nakedness. 12 'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's sister; she is your father's blood relative. 13 'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother's sister, for she is your mother's blood relative. 14 'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's brother; you shall not approach his wife, she is your aunt. 15 'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your daughter-in-law; she is your son's wife, you shall not uncover her nakedness. 16 'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother's wife; it is your brother's nakedness. 17 'You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and of her daughter, nor shall you take her son's daughter or her daughter's daughter, to uncover her nakedness; they are blood relatives. It is lewdness. 18 'And you shall not marry a woman in addition to her sister as a rival while she is alive, to uncover her nakedness.

They committed the sin of adultery – v.19-20

19 'Also you shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness during her menstrual impurity. 20 'And you shall not have intercourse with your neighbor's wife, to be defiled with her.

They committed sins of child sacrifice and blaspheme – v.21

21 'Neither shall you give any of your offspring to offer them to Molech, nor shall you profane the name of your God; I am the LORD.· They committed the sin of homosexuality – v.22 'You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination.

They committed the sin of bestiality – v.23

23 'Also you shall not have intercourse with any animal to be defiled with it, nor shall any woman stand before an animal to mate with it; it is a perversion.

Verses 24-30 makes it clear that the Canaanites practiced these things.

24 'Do not defile yourselves by any of these things; for by all these the nations which I am casting out before you have become defiled. 25 'For the land has become defiled, therefore I have visited its punishment upon it, so the land has spewed out its inhabitants. 26 'But as for you, you are to keep My statutes and My judgments, and shall not do any of these abominations, neither the native, nor the alien who sojourns among you 27 (for the men of the land who have been before you have done all these abominations, and the land has become defiled); 28 so that the land may not spew you out, should you defile it, as it has spewed out the nation which has been before you. 29 'For whoever does any of these abominations, those persons who do so shall be cut off from among their people. 30 'Thus you are to keep My charge, that you do not practice any of the abominable customs which have been practiced before you, so as not to defile yourselves with them; I am the LORD your God.' " NAS

Deuteronomy 9:3-5 describes God’s purpose for sending Israel into the land.

3 "Know therefore today that it is the LORD your God who is crossing over before you as a consuming fire. He will destroy them and He will subdue them before you, so that you may drive them out and destroy them quickly, just as the LORD has spoken to you. 4 Do not say in your heart when the LORD your God has driven them out before you, 'Because of my righteousness the LORD has brought me in to possess this land,' but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is dispossessing them before you. 5 It is not for your righteousness or for the uprightness of your heart that you are going to possess their land, but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD your God is driving them out before you, in order to confirm the oath which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. NAS

Historians tell us that the Canaanites were involved in the worst sort of sexual and religious perversions, even more than some of the other pagan nations around them.More importantly, they had constantly rejected God and rebelled against Him, seeking to destroy His people. Rahab made it clear that the Canaanites knew what was coming but they were so hardened by their sin that they would not repent (Joshua 2:9-11; 5:1 cf. Exodus 17:8-16; Numbers 21:1-3, 21-35).

Every wonder that God performed and every victory that God gave His people was a witness to the people of the land, but they preferred to go on in their sins and reject the mercy of God. Never think of the Canaanites as helpless ignorant people who knew nothing about the true God. They were willfully sinning against a flood of light (Warren Wiersbe, Be Strong, pp. 81).

We certainly can’t miss God’s grace in all of this. Rahab was a pagan harlot, but she was saved! Why? Because she was willing to repent and believe unlike her fellow Canaanites. Amazingly, we are no better than the Canaanites, and not but for God’s grace, we too would deserve to punished and judged for our sins (Romans 3:9-23; 6:23).

Reason #2 – To keep Israel pure

This reason is stated explicitly in Deuteronomy 7:1-11.

1 "When the LORD your God shall bring you into the land where you are entering to possess it, and shall clear away many nations before you, the Hittites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and stronger than you, 2 and when the LORD your God shall deliver them before you, and you shall defeat them, then you shall utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them and show no favor to them. 3 Furthermore, you shall not intermarry with them; you shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor shall you take their daughters for your sons. 4 For they will turn your sons away from following Me to serve other gods; then the anger of the LORD will be kindled against you, and He will quickly destroy you. 5 But thus you shall do to them: you shall tear down their altars, and smash their sacred pillars, and hew down their Asherim, and burn their graven images with fire.6 "For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. 7 The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, 8 but because the LORD loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the LORD brought you out by a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 9 Know therefore that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments; 10 but repays those who hate Him to their faces, to destroy them; He will not delay with him who hates Him, He will repay him to his face. 11 Therefore, you shall keep the commandment and the statutes and the judgments which I am commanding you today, to do them. NAS

Israel was called out by God to be a channel of His blessings.

Genesis 12:1-31
Now the LORD said to Abram,"Go forth from your country,And from your relativesAnd from your father's house,To the land which I will show you;2 And I will make you a great nation,And I will bless you,And make your name great;And so you shall be a blessing;3 And I will bless those who bless you,And the one who curses you I will curse.And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. "NAS

They were called out to have a threefold ministry. Their first ministry was one of revelation. Through them the Lord would reveal Himself to the world. The second ministry was that of a repository. They were to be keepers of His revealed will and word. Thirdly, they would have a ministry of redemption. They would be the people of the Messiah. Because of this ministry, they could not be contaminated by the evil of the other nations.

Read the Old Testament record, and you will see Satan doing everything he could to pollute the Jewish nation and thus prevent the birth of the Messiah. When the Jewish men married pagan women and began to worship Gods, it was a threat to thepurposes God had for His chosen people (Neh. 13:23-31). God wanted a “holy seed” (Mal. 2:14-15) so that His holy Son could come to be the Savior of the world (Be Strong, pp. 80).

G. Cambell Morgan said, “God is perpetually at war with sin, that is the whole explanation of the extermination of the Canaanites” (Wiersbe pp. 80).

The book of judges would not be in the Scripture today if the people of Israel would have simply been obedient (Judges 1:27-33; 2:11-23).How was Israel to deal with the city and its inhabitants? They were under the ban and were to be destroyed.

(2) It describes how to deal with Rahab and her family – v.17b

Only Rahab the harlot and all who are with her in the house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent.Rahab was to be treated differently than the rest of the Canaanites because of her faith (demonstrated by her works). We will deal in more detail with Rahab and her family next time (v.22-25).

(3) It describes how to deal with the material resources taken in Jericho - v.18-19

18 But as for you, only keep yourselves from the things under the ban, lest you covet them and take some of the things under the ban, so you would make the camp of Israel accursed and bring trouble on it. 19 But all the silver and gold and articles of bronze and iron are holy to the LORD; they shall go into the treasury of the LORD.

"The word “herem” is used four times in verse 18 although the NAS does not bring that out clearly. Everything in the city was “devoted to the Lord," even the material resources. These items were to be placed in the treasury.Ordinarily, these spoils would have been shared by the soldiers and their families (Deuteronomy 20:14), but not in Jericho because it was herem, for the Lord alone. If anyone disregarded this warning they themselves would become a herem!

This anticipates Achan’s sin in chapter 7 and explains why Israel would be defeated and why he would be put to death. Achan brought about his own destruction and his families and made the nation liable to destruction as well. The sin of one individual can have consequences for the family and the community.

Many scholars believe that Jericho was actually a firstfruits offering to the Lord. Jericho was the firstfruits of victories to come. Sadly, if Achan would have only waited he would have been able to enjoy the spoils to come from victory against other city-states (Joshua 8:27). Many times Satan tempts us to take something or do something for ourselves that we would get from the Lord if we only had waited.

20 So the people shouted, and priests blew the trumpets; and it came about, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, that the people shouted with a great shout and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight ahead, and they took the city.Israel obeyed and did as the Lord had instructed. They marched around the city once each day and on the seventh day they marched seven times and then the people shouted, the priests blew the rams horns and the wall fell down! Just as God had promised it would.21 And they utterly destroyed everything in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox and sheep and donkey, with the edge of the sword.When the walls fell they went in and utterly destroyed the city, men, women, children, and animals. Every living thing was destroyed by the sword, and then they burned it with fire.

24 And they burned the city with fire, and all that was in it. Only the silver and gold and articles of bronze and iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD.

What a terrible and sobering scene it must have been. We can only imagine the horror that was experienced by all.

Can we learn something from this passage, and if so, what?

Romans 15:44
For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. NAS

Surely we recognize from this passage the depth of God’s hatred of sin and the breadth of His grace toward sinners.

Romans 5:19-21
19 For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. 20 And the Law came in that the transgression might increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.NAS

LET THE CONQUEST BEGIN PT.1 - JOSHUA 6:1-16

2006-08-03T12:04:00.000-07:00

Joshua 6:1-7
1 Now Jericho was tightly shut because of the sons of Israel; no one went out and no one came in. 2 And the LORD said to Joshua, "See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and the valiant warriors. 3 And you shall march around the city, all the men of war circling the city once. You shall do so for six days. 4 Also seven priests shall carry seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark; then on the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. 5 And it shall be that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people will go up every man straight ahead."
6 So Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, "Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests carry seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD." 7 Then he said to the people, "Go forward, and march around the city, and let the armed men go on before the ark of the LORD." NAS

Finally, after much preparation, it was time to actually begin the conquest of the land. The next six chapters in Joshua are going to describe this conquest occurring in three phases or campaigns.

Phase #1 – The Central Campaign – Chapters 6-8
Phase #2 – The Southern Campaign – Chapters 9-10
Phase #3 – The Northern Campaign – Chapters 11

It is not a coincidence that the invasion begins at Jericho and the central campaign is first. Looking at a map, you would think they would enter the land in the south and then storm their way through the land. However, there was a strategic reason for beginning at Jericho and splitting the land in two.

The invasion of Jericho was important because of the city’s strategic location. Here, nomadic tribes entered the land through several valleys leading from the city to the central ridge of the land. Furthermore, by entering the land at Jericho, Israel could divide the land in two, prohibiting any significant alliances between the northern city-states and the southern inhabitants (Paul Enns, Joshua, Bible Study Commentary, pp. 55).

This strategy prevented the Canaanites from banding together, and taking Jericho was the key. If the battle of Jericho was meant to do anything, it was meant to remind Israel that God was in control.

As we look at the story of the “Battle of Jericho” we want to emphasize or focus on five aspects to the story.

Emphasis #1 – The Specific Instructions – v.1-7
1 Now Jericho was tightly shut because of the sons of Israel; no one went out and no one came in.
Verse one is a parenthetical verse that bridges the end of chapter 5 with the beginning of chapter 6. The purpose of this verse is to describe the seemingly hopeless situation facing Israel, who had no previous experience in attacking fortified cities. In fact, these high-walled fortified cities were one of the things that had discouraged the ten spies 40 years earlier.

Numbers 13:28
28 Nevertheless, the people who live in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large; and moreover, we saw the descendants of Anak there. NAS

The conquest of a walled city was a major challenge. There were at least five ways that a walled city could be captured: (1) by going over the wall using ladders, ramps etc.; (2) by digging a tunnel under the wall; (3) by smashing a hole through the wall; (4) by laying siege until the city is starved into submission; (5) by some sort of subterfuge (e.g., the use of the wooden horse by the Greeks to conquer Troy….).

From a human standpoint the conquest of Jericho would be nearly impossible. According to Leon Wood,

The walls were of a type which made direct assault practically impossible. An
approaching enemy first encountered a stone abutment, eleven feet high, back and
up from which sloped a thirty- five degree plastered scarp reaching to the main wall some thirty-five vertical feet above. The steep smooth slope prohibited battering the wall by any effective device or building fires to break it. An army trying to storm the wall found difficulty in climbing the slope, and ladders to scale it could find no satisfactory footing. The normal tactic used by an enemy to take a city so protected was siege, but Israel did not have time for this, if she was to occupy all the land in any reasonable number of months (A Survey of Israel’s History, pp. 174).

Paul Enns adds,

But in addition the defenses included a fortification of two walls that surrounded the city; the outer wall was six feet thick and the inner wall was twelve feet thick. The city was built on a mound, making the invasion more difficult (BSC: Joshua, pp. 57).

Unger describes the wall structure further:

A massive six-foot-thick wall was erected on the edge of the mound. The inner wall was separated from it by a space of from twelve to fifteen feet, and was itself twelve feet thick. The wall originally reached perhaps a height of thirty feet….The crowded condition led to the erection of houses over the space between the inner and outer walls (ibid, pp. 57).

Not only did the circumstances seem impossible for Israel, but they presented a problem for the people of Jericho as well.

because of the sons of Israel; no one went out and no one came in
We were already told by Rahab that the inhabitants of Jericho feared Israel and their God (2:8-11). This fear is demonstrated by the shutting up of the city.

That no one was let out indicates how desperate the situation was. It was not
uncommon in a time of siege to send warriors out to harass the enemies or to engage them in battle. Sometimes a small party was sent out secretly in search of help or supplies. They may have been too frightened to attempt any of these strategies, and they may have wanted to prevent the city from being weakened by defectors or deserters (Donald Madvig, Expositors Bible Commentary Vol. 3: Joshua, pp. 277).

As Gene Getz puts it,

They were taking no chances. Somehow they believed they could protect themselves from the God of Israel by man-made walls—not facing the fact that those walls of brick were just as much subject to God’s power as the waters of the Red Sea and of the Jordan. If God can control and manipulate natural phenomena, how much more can He conquer man made structures. Foolish? Yes! But how common for men and women who do not know God and who are blinded by their self-centered life-styles and pagan religions to believe that they can wall out God (Joshua: Defeat to Victory, pp. 96-97).

All of this was in fulfillment of God’s promise in Exodus 23:27

I will send My terror ahead of you, and throw into confusion all the people among whom you come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you.
As we will see once again, God has a solution for Israel’s problem, even in Jericho!

2 And the LORD said to Joshua,
This verse is a resumption of the conversation between Joshua and the captain of the host of the Lord (here simply identified as the LORD). The solution to Israel’s problem with Jericho (that it was shut-up and well protected) would not involve human ingenuity or strategy, but it would be in God’s power to fulfill His plans and purposes.

"See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and the valiant warriors."
Remember the point of Joshua 5:13-15 is to remind Joshua that this was not to be his battle, but the Lord’s. Since it was His battle, victory was guaranteed. The Phrase I have given is in the past perfect which gives it the idea of that battle has already been won. Israel needed to take their eyes off of Jericho and its walls and put them on the Captain of the host of the Lord.

The phrase with its king and the valiant warriors reminds us that citizens of Jericho were not patsies, but great warriors. Israel however, had the Great Warrior on their side!

Now how was this great victory going to be accomplished? What specifically was the Lord going to do and what would Israel’s part be?

3 And you shall march around the city, all the men of war circling the city once. You shall do so for six days. 4 Also seven priests shall carry seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark; then on the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. 5 And it shall be that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people will go up every man straight ahead."
God lays out His plan by giving Joshua a set of specific instructions that Joshua would in turn, give to the people. I can imagine what Joshua must have been thinking as the Lord revealed His plans to him. “You want us to march around the city for how many days?” Whatever might be said about the Lord’s strategy, it was certainly unique.

Isaiah 55:8-9
8 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts,erf/’r;gt
Neither are your ways My ways," declares the LORD.
9 "For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.NAS

God’s wisdom is far above ours and He delights in using people and plans that seem foolish to the world (1 Corinthians 1:26-29).

Warren Wiersbe writes,

Whether it’s Joshua with trumpets, Gideon with torches and pitchers (Jud. 7), or David with his sling (1 Sam. 17), God delights in using weakness and seeming
foolishness to defeat His enemies and glorify His name. “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him” (2 Chron. 16:9) (Be Strong, pp. 73).

The priests and the army were to march around the city once a day for six days and on the seventh day they were to march around the city seven times then seven priests were to blow their seven rams horns, the people were to shout, the wall would fall and then they would charge Jericho.

The ceremonial nature of these instructions must be noted. This was to be first and foremost a religious exercise, a spiritual experience. All this is born out in the various elements of the processions: (1) there is the blowing of trumpets; (2) the ark is to be prominent; (3) the priests are visibly involved; (4) the number 7 is prevalent. These four things are clues to what God is trying to do in giving these specific instructions.

(1) The Blowing of the Trumpets or Rams Horns

These horns were not the metal trumpets that we know today, but actual animal horns. They were more “noisemakers than music makers.” In fact, according to David M. Howard, three different Hebrew terms are used in several combinations in this chapter, the qeren (v.5); the yobel, from which we get jubilee (v.5); and the shofar. The word shofar is used 14 times in chapter 6; v.4 (twice); v. 5, 6, 8 (twice); v.9 (twice); v.13 (three times); v. 16 and v.20 (twice).

A shofar was a curved ram’s horn used primarily as a signal. In Numbers 10:1-10 instructions are given about its use. It was to be used for:

· calling the congregation together – v.2-4, 7
· directing the movement of the camp – v.5-6
· warning of a coming conflict or battle – v.9
· signaling of an important religious event – v.10

Another example of a use of a shofar was in signaling the beginning of the Sabbath. Each Friday evening at sunset the shofar would sound to announce that the Sabbath had arrived. The shofar was also used in proclaiming the “Feast of Trumpets” (Leviticus 23:24). Here, at Jericho, they are being used to signal God’s deliverance and victory to come (Numbers 10:9).

(2) The Prominence of the Ark of the Covenant

The Ark of the Covenant is mentioned nine times in Chapter six. As was the case in chapter three, the prominence of the ark in the procession is meant help the people focus on God’s presence.

(3) The Involvement of the Priests

It was the priests that were to blow the trumpets and it was the priests who were to carry the ark. Their presence in the procession validates the fact that this battle was to have a religious or spiritual in nature.

(4) The Prevalence of the Number 7

According to Wiersbe:

In this plan the emphasis is on the number seven: seven priests, seven trumpets,
seven days of marching, and seven circuits of the city on the seventh day. The number seven is written clearly into the life of Israel: The Sabbath celebrated on the seventh day of the week; seven weeks from Passover is Pentecost; the seventh year is a sabbatical year; and after forty-nine years (seven times seven) comes the Year of Jubilee. Three of Israel’s feasts fall in the seventh month: the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16), and the Feast of Tabernacles. (For details about this remarkable calendar, see Lev. 23.) (Be Strong, pp. 74)

He goes on to say,

In biblical numerology the number seven represents completeness or perfection. The Hebrew word translated “seven” (shevah) comes from a root that means “to be
full, to be satisfied.” When God finished His work of creation, He rested on the seventh day and sanctified it (Gen. 2:3); and this helped give the number seven its sacred significance. The Jews noted that there were seven promises in God’s covenant with Abraham (12:1-3) and seven branches on the candlestick in the tabernacle (Ex. 37:17-24). Anything involving the number seven was especially sacred to them. It spoke of God’s ability to finish whatever He started (ibid).

While it is easy to get carried away with numerology and types in scripture, there is no doubt that the number seven was used here to emphasize that this was a sacred event.

The last two verses of this section deal with specific instructions to the priests and to the people.

Instructions to the Priests – v.6
6 So Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, "Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests carry seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD."
The instructions to the priests involved the transportation of the ark and the use of the shofars, but the ark is the key. Israel could march around Jericho and the priests could blow the shofars until they dropped from weariness, but if the Lord was not with them, there would be no victory.

“When we accept God’s plan, we invite God’s presence; and that guarantees victory.” (Wiersbe)

Exodus 33:12-17
12 Then Moses said to the LORD, "See, Thou dost say to me, 'Bring up this people!' But Thou Thyself hast not let me know whom Thou wilt send with me. Moreover, Thou hast said, 'I have known you by name, and you have also found favor in My sight.' 13 "Now therefore, I pray Thee, if I have found favor in Thy sight, let me know Thy ways, that I may know Thee, so that I may find favor in Thy sight. Consider too, that this nation is Thy people." 14 And He said, "My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest." 15 Then he said to Him, "If Thy presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here. 16 For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Thy sight, I and Thy people? Is it not by Thy going with us, so that we, I and Thy people, may be distinguished from all the other people who are upon the face of the earth?"
17 And the LORD said to Moses, "I will also do this thing of which you have spoken; for you have found favor in My sight, and I have known you by name." NAS

Instructions to the People – v.7
7 Then he said to the people, "Go forward, and march around the city, and let the armed men go on before the ark of the LORD."
“Then he said,” the he here is really “they” in Hebrew, “they” being the elders and officers. This once again reminds us of the chain of command that was established in chapter one. The “people” refers primarily to the men of war mentioned in verse three. It is very unlikely that all of the people of Israel marched around the city of Jericho each day. It is more likely that it was the soldiers only and maybe not all of them. According to Numbers 26 there were over 600,000 men able to bear arms in Israel at this time, this would have been more than enough to defeat Jericho after the walls fell.

Emphasis #2 – The Solemn Procession – v.8-16
Joshua 6:8-16
8 And it was so, that when Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets of rams' horns before the LORD went forward and blew the trumpets; and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them. 9 And the armed men went before the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard came after the ark, while they continued to blow the trumpets. 10 But Joshua commanded the people, saying, "You shall not shout nor let your voice be heard, nor let a word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I tell you, 'Shout!' Then you shall shout!" 11 So he had the ark of the LORD taken around the city, circling it once; then they came into the camp and spent the night in the camp.
12 Now Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD. 13 And the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD went on continually, and blew the trumpets; and the armed men went before them, and the rear guard came after the ark of the LORD, while they continued to blow the trumpets. 14 Thus the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp; they did so for six days.
15 Then it came about on the seventh day that they rose early at the dawning of the day and marched around the city in the same manner seven times; only on that day they marched around the city seven times. 16 And it came about at the seventh time, when the priests blew the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, "Shout! For the LORD has given you the city. NAS

This section serves as a summary description of the events of each day. The first day is summarized in v.8-11; the second through sixth days are summarized in v.12-14; and the seventh day is summarized in v.15-16.

The First Day Summarized – v.8-11
Picture the sight of the solemn procession as it circled the city of Jericho with no noise made except the blowing of the horns. You can imagine what was going through the minds of Israel as well as the residents of Jericho.

The Second through Sixth Days Summarized – v.12-14
This is simply a repeat of day one and still no noise!

The Seventh Day Summarized – v.15-16
This time instead of once around, they circled the city seven times.

In our next post we will look at the events of this seventh day more closely. The question that arises as we contemplate God’s instructions for Israel and His commands for a solemn procession, we have to wonder why? Why go to all of this trouble? Was this just a trivial exercise or was there more to it than that? As we think about those questions we can come up with at least two purposes behind God’s plan. One purpose is for Israel and one purpose is for the people of Jericho.

God’s Purpose for Israel – To teach them the importance of faith and obedience

The writer of Hebrews tells us that

By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been encircled for seven days. NAS (Hebrews 11:30)

Warren Wiersbe writes,

The activities of the week were a test of the Jewish people’s faith and patience. No doubt some of them were anxious to get on with the invasion so they could claim their inheritance and settle down to enjoy the rest God promised them (Josh. 1:13). To some of them, it may have seemed a futile waste of time to devote an entire week to the taking of one city. Impatience was one of Israel’s besetting sins, and God was helping them learn patient obedience; for it’s through “faith and patience” that God’s people inherit what He has promised (Heb. 6:12). God is never in a hurry. He knows what He’s doing, and His timing is never off (Be Strong, pp. 76-77).

Don’t miss this. It is not that Israel needed more faith to believe that God could do it (i.e. Red Sea, Jordan River); but that they needed faith to acknowledge that He was in control and that He knew what He was doing! They needed to be faithfully committed to His will and His way.

Most of us have been guilty of saying, “God I know you can do it, but do you know what you are doing?” It is only when we submit to His will that we can truly obey Him, and that takes faith. The Lord could have just spoken a word and wiped out the Canaanites and given the land to Israel, but they needed to learn to trust Him (His power and His will). Through their experience we can learn as well. We often face enemies and high walls in our lives that challenge us. The way to victory is to trust God and submit to His will and obey Him.

God’s Purpose for the Inhabitants of Jericho – To give them one more chance to repent
Every day that Israel marched around the city of Jericho was one more day that God was graciously waiting for people of Jericho to repent. From Rahab’s testimony we know that they understood the God of Israel and that they feared Him. However, knowledge and conviction are not enough. There must also be faith (trust) and repentance (2:9-12). By having Israel march around the city as He did, the Lord was reaching out to Jericho, one last time.

Gene Getz writes,

As Israel marched around the walls of Jericho, it seems that God is once for all
saying, “Judgment is coming. Repent and turn from your sins.” With each day, the
final hour was growing closer. And it reached the grand crescendo on the seventh
day as the people marched around the city seven times.

There are numerous events in the Old Testament to indicate that if the people of Jericho had flung open the gates and begged for mercy, turning to God and asking for forgiveness, the Lord would have relented. When Jonah warned the people of
Nineveh that in “yet forty days” God would pronounce judgment on them, the
people repented and God relented (Jon. 3:4-10). God would have spared Sodom and
Gomorrah. In fact, God promised Abraham He would spare both cities if there were
only 10 righteous people living there. God’s reticence to bring judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah is clearly seen in His willingness to relent when Abraham asked Him to spare the cities if 50 righteous people could be found; then Abraham moved the number down to 45, to 40, to 30, to 20 and finally to 10. Even then God promised He would not destroy them if Abraham could find just 10 righteous people (see Gen. 18:23-32). Of course, there were not even 10. And God’s judgment fell on Sodom and Gomorrah, just as it did on Jericho (Joshua: Defeat to Victory, pp. 102-103).

There is also another element here to consider. As each city-state in Canaan is judged and destroyed it will serve as a warning to the next city as well. Every city that falls screams to the next city-state, “Repent, or you to will likewise perish.”

All this relates to God’s missionary strategy in the Old Testament. God chose Israel – not to show favoritism or to demonstrate a narrow concern for mankind. Rather, He chose Israel to be His means to convey to all nations His existence, sovereignty and righteousness. He chose Israel to bear the message that He was Jehovah the Great I Am. Israel was God’s unique and dramatic visual aid to convey to all men that He was a loving and merciful God, ready to save people from their sins.

Romans 10:13
13 for "Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved." NAS

THE CAPTAIN OF THE LORD'S HOST PT.2 - Joshua 5:13-15

2006-07-20T16:02:00.000-07:00

Joshua 5:13-15
13 Now it came about when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand, and Joshua went to him and said to him, "Are you for us or for our adversaries?" 14 And he said, "No, rather I indeed come now as captain of the host of the LORD." And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and bowed down, and said to him, "What has my lord to say to his servant?" 15 And the captain of the Lord's host said to Joshua, "Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy." And Joshua did so.NAS

Joshua 5:13-15 is a pivotal passage in the book since it marks the conclusion of the preparation section and it signals the beginning of the invasion section. Let’s take a few minutes to take stock of where we have come from so far.

Remember in our introduction we suggested the following outlines:

Chapters 1-5 – Preparing the nation for conquest or entering the land

Chapters 6-12 – Defeating the enemies or fighting for the land

Chapters 13-22 – Claiming the inheritance or dividing the land

Chapters 23-24 – Renewing the covenant or living in the land

Up to this point everything that has occurred has been about getting the people ready to go in and take the land.

Chapter 1 was the “pep talk” chapter with the theme of mutual encouragement.

God encouraged Joshua; Joshua encouraged the people; and the people encouraged Joshua by pledging to support and obey.

Chapter 2 was the “spy chapter” with the theme of God’s graciousness.

In this spy story valuable information is discovered about Canaan and the Canaanites. The people of Canaan are very afraid of Israel and her God and the land was ripe for the taking. All this is gleaned from the conversation that Rahab has with the two spies. This information too would serve to encourage Israel.

Chapters 3-4 were the “crossing the Jordan chapters” with the theme that God is with Israel.

If God could get Israel passed this first great obstacle, he could get them by anything. God used the crossing of the Jordan to teach Israel about His presence (he gave them a clear message), power (He gave them a confirming miracle), and His promises (he gave them a continuing memorial), and about their faith.

Chapter 5 is the “spiritual preparation” chapter with the theme of God reestablishing two very important Old Testament rituals.

The rite of circumcision would serve to remind Israel that they were His covenant people and heirs of the unconditional promise God made to Abraham. The Passover ceremony would serve to remind them of His love and grace in delivering them out of the bondage in Egypt.

Now as we come to the very last passage in this first section, the message that God gives is reserved for Joshua alone. It is meant to remind Joshua one last time before the invasion that God was in control. While Israel would be participating in the victory, it was ultimately God’s battle – God’s conquest – God’s invasion.

The events of this passage surround a supernatural encounter with the captain of the host of the LORD. Who is the captain of the host of the Lord? I believe that the captain of the host of the Lord is a synonym for the Angel of the Lord, a being that often appears in the pages of the Old Testament. Most conservative scholars believe that it is in fact a Theophany, a preincarnate appearance of the second person of the Trinity.

This is actually not a unique event since as we learned from our last post that the preincarnate Christ appeared many times in the Old Testament. Most often He did so as the “Angel of the Lord” (Genesis 16, 22, 31; Exodus 3, 14, 23; Judges 6, 13; Numbers 22; 1 Kings 19; 1 Chronicles 21 etc.).

Here in Joshua 5 He is not called the “Angel of the Lord,” but rather, the captain of the host of the Lord. To me, it seems clear that they are the same individual. As we look at this encounter between Joshua and the captain of the host of the Lord, I believe that the identity of this being will become very clear. The text gives us four clues as to the identity of the captain of the host of the Lord.

Clue #1 – His Appearance – v.13
13 Now it came about when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand, and Joshua went to him and said to him, "Are you for us or for our adversaries?"
As Israel now turned its focus to the first city-state that must fall (Jericho), Joshua is out personally surveying the area. Possibly, he was beginning to develop a strategy for taking the city. What was going through his mind? What was he thinking?

Irving L Jensen makes this suggestion,

As Joshua was looking in the direction of the fortress of Jericho, he thought of one thing, his responsibility in the battle. In mind’s eye he envisioned the two foes, Canaanites and Israelites, in mortal combat, and though he had already been given assurances of victory, he could not avoid wondering about the outcome as he compared the military strength of both. The closer the hour of actual combat, the more he felt that this was his war (Joshua: Rest-Land Won, pp. 51).

Whether or not those were Joshua’s exact thoughts, it is clear that the Lord wanted to remind Joshua that it was not his war, but that it was HIS war.

Now it came about when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand
Joshua was in deep thought and all of a sudden, someone was standing across from him with a sword drawn! The phrase “and looked” conveys an element of surprise, like when we round a corner or are in deep thought and suddenly someone is there. Joshua was not expecting to see anyone where he was, especially someone in such an aggressive stance. The fact that this being’s sword was drawn indicated that he was a warrior of some kind.

and Joshua went to him and said to him, "Are you for us or for our adversaries?"
This would be a natural question to ask when met by someone as Joshua was. Basically he asks, “Whose side are you on?”

Before we move on to the answer of that question, let’s stop and ask another question. Is there anything about this being’s appearance in verse 13 that might give us insight into who he might be? To put it another way, is there anything here that would make us think that this is a preincarnate appearance of Christ?

Numbers 22:22-31
22 But God was angry because he was going, and the angel of the LORD took his stand in the way as an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey and his two servants were with him. 23 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way with his drawn sword in his hand, the donkey turned off from the way and went into the field; but Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back into the way. 24 Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path of the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side. 25 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pressed herself to the wall and pressed Balaam's foot against the wall, so he struck her again. 26 And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn to the right hand or the left. 27 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam; so Balaam was angry and struck the donkey with his stick. 28 And the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?" 29 Then Balaam said to the donkey, "Because you have made a mockery of me! If there had been a sword in my hand, I would have killed you by now." 30 And the donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden all your life to this day? Have I ever been accustomed to do so to you?" And he said, "No."
31 Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way with his drawn sword in his hand; and he bowed all the way to the ground. NAS

See also 1 Chronicles 21:8-15; 2 Kings 19:35.

Compare those Old Testament passages with Revelation 19:11-14.

Revelation 19:11-14
11 And I saw heaven opened; and behold, a white horse, and He who sat upon it is called Faithful and True; and in righteousness He judges and wages war. 12 And His eyes are a flame of fire, and upon His head are many diadems; and He has a name written upon Him which no one knows except Himself. 13 And He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood; and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. NAS

The Angel of the Lord in the Old Testament was often God’s messenger and executer of judgment. In the New Testament we are told that all authority for judgment is given to the Son (John 5:19-23, 27; see also the post-resurrection view of Jesus in the New Testament in Revelation 5, 14, 19).

Exodus 23:20-23 is a passage that helps us understand what’s going on here.

20 "Behold, I am going to send an angel before you to guard you along the way, and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. 21 Be on your guard before him and obey his voice; do not be rebellious toward him, for he will not pardon your transgression, since My name is in him. 22 But if you will truly obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries. 23 For My angel will go before you and bring you in to the land of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites and the Jebusites; and I will completely destroy them. NAS

Although we haven’t discussed it much yet, one of the concepts that comes out in Joshua is that the conquest will serve as an act of judgment against the inhabitants of the land of Canaan.

Genesis 15:16
16 Then in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet complete." NAS

This is the time, that God told Abraham would come. He has been very patient with the inhabitant of Canaan, but now it is a time for judgment and Israel’s conquest of the land would serve as the means of that judgment. The appearance of this being with sword drawn, I believe is a sign that judgment is beginning.

Clue #2 – His Title – v.14a

14 And he said, "No, rather I indeed come now as captain of the host of the LORD."
Notice that this stranger did not answer Joshua’s question directly. The "no" in His response has to do with the focus. Joshua’s focus was not to be on whose side this stranger was on, but rather on who He is. He was the captain of the host of the LORD.
As “captain” he is an authority figure, a leader of some kind. The Hebrew word is translated elsewhere as “prince” or “commander.” In Daniel 8:11 it is translated “commander of the host” (although many versions translate it as “prince of the host”) and in Isaiah 9:6 it is translated as “prince of peace.”

The phrase “the host of the Lord” is a reference to the heavenly hosts or the hosts of heaven. This phrase is generally used to refer to the vast army of angels in heaven (1 Kings 22:19; Psalm 103:21; 148:2).
The one whom Joshua had encountered was the commander of the heavenly hosts of the Lord, who would be fighting for Israel. The captain of the host of the Lord was a divine being, with a divine mission.

Clue #3 – Joshua’s Response – v.14b
And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and bowed down, and said to him, "What has my lord to say to his servant?"
Joshua’s response is threefold.

· It was a humble response – And Joshua fell on his face to the earth
· It was a reverent response – and bowed down (i.e. he worshipped him
· It was obedient – and said to him, "What has my lord to say to his servant?"

There is some debate whether Joshua at this point recognized he was in the presence of deity or whether he was just showing respect to the being. This is because Joshua addresses the captain of the host of the Lord as my lord (adoni and not Yahweh). Adoni is used to address both men and God in the scriptures. The thing that makes the determination for me is the way that the angel of the Lord responds to Joshua.

When ever an angel of the Lord appears to men, they are told to, get up, stand up, do not fear, and so on. They never receive the worship of the human they are appearing to (Daniel 8:15-19; Luke 1:26-30; Revelation 22:8-9). Here the angel of the Lord receives the worship of Joshua. There is no hint of rebuke anywhere in the captain of the host of the Lord’s response to Joshua, in fact, he builds on it.

Clue #4 – His Instructions – v.15
15 And the captain of the Lord's host said to Joshua, "Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy." And Joshua did so.
Any place where God reveals Himself is hallowed ground because of the revelation (Genesis 28:10-22; Exodus 3:1-6). Since the place where Joshua encounters the captain of the host of the Lord is holy, this must be a revelation of God.

This is the primary idea of verse 15 that Joshua was in the presence of the Lord! Some have seen a secondary implication here as well and that is that Canaan land was holy ground. At the moment, this holy ground was being defiled by idolatrous, immoral and indecent people, but that was about to change – since the iniquity of the Canaanites was now complete (Genesis 15:16; also see Leviticus 18:24-25; Deuteronomy 9:1-5; 18:9-14). The battles that Israel would soon face were holy battles, fought by God’s holy ways in fulfillment of His holy word.

As we conclude, I want to summarize three things that Joshua was reminded about through this encounter.

Lesson #1 – Through this encounter Joshua was reminded that God was with him.
Earlier (Josh. 1:5) God had promised Joshua, Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. Now the Lord was reassuring Joshua that His promise was still true. What better way to assure him of His presence than by sending the preincarnate Christ? Our Lord always comes to us when we need Him and in the way we need Him.

To Abraham the pilgrim, the Lord came as a traveler to share in a friendly meal (Gen. 18:1-8). To Jacob the schemer, He came as a wrestler to bring him to the place of submission (32:24-32). The three Hebrew men met Him as their companion in the furnace of fire (Dan. 3:25) (Warren Wiersbe, Be Strong, pp. 65).

To Joshua He came as the “Captain of the host of the Lord” just prior to the conquest of the land!

Psalms 46:1, 7, 10-11
1 God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
7 The LORD of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold.
Selah.
8 Come, behold the works of the LORD,
Who has wrought desolations in the earth.
9 He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
He burns the chariots with fire.
10 "Cease striving and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."
11 The LORD of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold.
Selah.NAS

Donald Madvig writes,

The purpose of this encounter was not to impart commands but to inspire Joshua
with humility and reverence and to instill in him the confidence that God was with him and was in control (Expositors Bible Commentary Vol. 3, Joshua, pp. 276).

It must have been a great encouragement for Joshua to be reassured that he was not alone. There is a great loneliness to leadership that most cannot understand. Former Pastor Warren Wiersbe writes,

There is a loneliness to leadership that can be disturbing and even depressing as you realize how much your decisions affect the lives of others (Be Strong, pp. 65).

Surely Joshua felt the loneliness, but through his encounter he was reassured by God’s presence.

Lesson #2 – Through this encounter Joshua was reminded of his place and God’s place in the ministry he was called.

In Christian ministry great public victories are won in private as leaders submit to the Lord and receive their directions from Him. It’s doubtful that anybody in the camp of Israel knew about their leader’s meeting with the Lord, but that meeting made the difference between success and failure on the battlefield. The Chinese Bible teacher Watchman Nee wrote, “Not until we take the place of a servant can He take His place as Lord” (Warren Wiersbe, Be Strong, pp. 66).

Every parent, pastor or person in Christian leadership needs to realize that they are second in command to the Lord Jesus Christ. We need to be reminded of Jesus’ words to His disciples, “without me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Anything we do in our own strength will eventually be worthless. The Lord came to Joshua that day, not just to help, but also to lead, all Joshua had to do was listen to God’s word and obey His orders. God would do the rest. Warren Wiersbe tells us,

In a meeting with a small group of missionaries in China, James Hudson Taylor,
founder of the China Inland Mission (now Overseas Missionary Fellowship) reminded them that there were three ways to do God’s work: “One is to make the best plans we can, and carry them out to the best of our ability…or, having carefully laid our plans and determined to carry them through, we may ask God to help us, and to prosper us in connection with them. Yet another way of working is to begin with God; to ask His plans, and to offer ourselves to Him to carry out His purposes.” Joshua followed the third plan, and that’s why the Lord blessed him (Be Strong, pp. 67).

Lesson #3 – Through this encounter, Joshua was reminded of God’s purpose for the land and for Israel.
This land was the “holy land,” it was the land that God had promised to His people. Now, it was contaminated by its current inhabitants, but that was about to change. The Lord was going to lead His people into the land to take it and claim it as their inheritance. They were going to be His instruments of righteousness so as to be a testimony to the rest of the world (Deuteronomy 4).

This is why He gave Israel such detailed instructions about how they were to live in the land, so that they themselves would not defile it but keep it consecrated (Deuteronomy 4:1; 6:1; 7:1; 8:1; 12:10, 29ff).

If we are going to the Lord’s work the Lord’s way then we must be spiritually prepared, that is what Joshua chapter five is all about. God had consecrated and prepared the people in v.1-12, now He has prepared the one who was going to lead them (v.13-15). Scottish Preacher Robert Murray McCheyene once wrote:

“Remember you are God’s sword – His instrument – I trust a chosen vessel unto Him to bear His name. In great measure, according to the purity and perfections of the instrument, will be the success. It is not great talents God blesses so much as great likeness to Jesus. A holy minister is an awful weapon in the hand of God.” Quoted by Wiersbe in Be Strong, pp. 67-68.

As we face great spiritual battles in our own lives we can learn some lessons from Joshua’s encounter with the captain of the host of the Lord.

(1) We must be spiritually prepared, made ready through worship and the word of God.
(2) We must allow ourselves to be reassured by God’s presence, preeminence, and purposes for us.

2 Timothy 2:20-21
20 Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. 21 Therefore, if a man cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. NAS

THE CAPTAIN OF THE LORD'S HOST Pt. 1 - JOSHUA 5:13-15

2006-07-14T17:00:00.000-07:00

From time to time in our verse by verse journey through God’s Word, we come to a passage of Scripture that requires us to take a side path in order to gain additional insight into God’s revelation of Himself. Such is the case with the passage before us now. This side path has to do with a character we are introduced to through an encounter with Joshua.

Joshua 5:13-15
13 Now it came about when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand, and Joshua went to him and said to him, "Are you for us or for our adversaries?" 14 And he said, "No, rather I indeed come now as captain of the host of the LORD." And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and bowed down, and said to him, "What has my lord to say to his servant?" 15 And the captain of the Lord's host said to Joshua, "Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy." And Joshua did so.

This individual is introduced to us as “the captain of the Lord’s host” or “the captain of the host of the Lord.” Who is this individual? Well through some Bible investigation I think we can say that this is a preincarnate appearance of Christ – the second person of the Trinity. These preincarnate appearances of Christ in the Old Testament are some times referred to as Theophanies. The word comes from two Greek words theos which means God and phaino which means to appear. According to Ron Rhodes,

A Theophany is an appearance of or manifestation of God usually in visible, bodily form (Christ Before the Manger, Baker Books, 1992)*

The principle Theophany in the Old Testament is “The Angel of the LORD” (Yahweh) or “The Angel of God” (Elohim).

Remember that the word angel literally means messenger, envoy or one who is sent. By calling Jesus “The Angel of the LORD” it in no way implies that He is a created being. Rather, by referring to Him as the Angel of the LORD the Scripture is pointing to a specific role that He played in relationship to the Trinity. When it was necessary for the Godhead to reveal itself to individuals during certain periods, the pre-incarnate Christ would be sent as the Angel of the LORD to appear to them, usually to communicate some kind of message.

In order to understand how this can be we have to consult the Scriptures. As we look at several passages three things will become clear.

· The Angel of the LORD is God
· The Angel of the LORD is distinct from God the Father
· The Angel of the LORD is Jesus Christ

The Angel of the LORD is God

The fact the Angel of the LORD is God can be seen in the encounters with the following people.

Hagar
Genesis 16:7-13
7 Now the angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur. 8 And he said, "Hagar, Sarai's maid, where have you come from and where are you going?" And she said, "I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai." 9 Then the angel of the LORD said to her, "Return to your mistress, and submit yourself to her authority." 10 Moreover, the angel of the LORD said to her, "I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they shall be too many to count." 11 The angel of the LORD said to her further,
"Behold, you are with child,
And you shall bear a son;
And you shall call his name Ishmael,
Because the LORD has given heed to your affliction.
12 "And he will be a wild donkey of a man,
His hand will be against everyone,
And everyone's hand will be against him;
And he will live to the east of all his brothers."
13 Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, "Thou art a God who sees"; for she said, "Have I even remained alive here after seeing Him?" 14 Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered. NAS

Notice in verse 10 that angel of the Lord says, “Moreover, "I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they shall be too many to count." The Angel takes responsibility for doing what only God can do. Also notice in verses 11-12 the angel of the Lord exhibits attributes of omniscience.

How did Hagar perceive the being she encountered? “…she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, "Thou art a God who sees"; for she said, "Have I even remained alive here after seeing Him?" Clearly she believed that she had encountered God Himself. She actually refers to Him as the God who sees or El-Roi. She named the placed that she met the angel of the Lord Beer-lahai-roi – which means the well of the one who lives and sees me.

Abraham
Genesis 22:11-18
11 But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven, and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." 12 And he said, "Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me." 13 Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son. 14 And Abraham called the name of that place The LORD Will Provide, as it is said to this day, "In the mount of the LORD it will be provided." 15 Then the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven, 16 and said, "By Myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. 18 And in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice."
After Abrahams’ amazing obedience to God, the angel of the Lord appears to him and stops him from sacrificing his son Isaac. Then the angel of the Lord says in verse 12, "Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me." Who was Abraham sacrificing his son to and for? Yahweh – Jehovah, the one who was talking to him at that moment, the one who said stop, you don’t have to do this for me because you have shown your great faith and obedience.

Notice in verses 15-18 how the angel of the Lord refers to the fact that he is God.

15 Then the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven, 16 and said, "By Myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. 18 And in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice."
Clearly, this was God speaking to Abraham.

See also the angel of the Lord’s encounters with Jacob (Genesis 31:11-13), Moses (Exodus 3:1-6), Manoah and his wife, aka Samson’s parents (Judges 13:1-23). These encounters point to one inescapable fact, the angel of the Lord must be God.

In addition, there are recorded for us other appearances of the angel of the Lord. He appeared to Israel (Exodus 14:19; 23:20-26); Balaam (Numbers 22:22-35); Gideon (Judges 6:11-23); Elijah (1 Kings 19:5-7); David (1 Chronicles 21:15-17).

There are three other events recorded for us that seem to be Theophanies, but do not specifically refer to the angel of the Lord. The first is found in Genesis 18:1-33 (again to Abraham), the second is found in Daniel 3:19-25 (to Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego), and the third is in our passage in Joshua 5 (to Joshua).

The Angel of the LORD is distinct from God the Father

This might seem contradictory at first, but the apparent contradiction is resolved when we consider the Trinitarian distinctions of the Godhead. This would also help explain some of the different perspectives we see in some of the before mentioned passages.

For example in Genesis 22:16

“and said, "By Myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son from Me.”
Judges 13:16

“And the angel of the LORD said to Manoah, "Though you detain me, I will not eat your food, but if you prepare a burnt offering, then offer it to the LORD." For Manoah did not know that he was the angel of the LORD.”
In some of the passages you have one person of the Trinity speaking for or interceding for another person of the Trinity. Namely, the Second person is speaking for the First person. To put it another way, the Son is speaking for the Father.

A couple of passages in Zechariah illustrate this concept.

Zechariah 1:8-12
8 I saw at night, and behold, a man was riding on a red horse, and he was standing among the myrtle trees which were in the ravine, with red, sorrel, and white horses behind him. 9 Then I said, "My lord, what are these?" And the angel who was speaking with me said to me, "I will show you what these are." 10 And the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered and said, "These are those whom the LORD has sent to patrol the earth." 11 So they answered the angel of the LORD who was standing among the myrtle trees, and said, "We have patrolled the earth, and behold, all the earth is peaceful and quiet."
12 Then the angel of the LORD answered and said, "O LORD of hosts, how long wilt Thou have no compassion for Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, with which Thou hast been indignant these seventy years?" NAS

Zechariah 3:1-2
1 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. 2 And the LORD said to Satan, "The LORD rebuke you, Satan! Indeed, the LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?" NAS

How can the angel of the Lord, who is clearly called Lord, refer to another person who is just as clearly called Lord? Since there is only one God (Deuteronomy 6:4), the answer has to lie in the personal roles and relationships within the Trinity.

The Angel of the LORD is Jesus Christ
This can be deduced when you compare the similarities between the angel of the Lord in the Old Testament and Jesus Christ in the New Testament. As we look at Jesus and the angel of the Lord there are for similarities.

There is a Similarity in Purpose

It is clear that one of the main missions of the Son in the New Testament was to visibly declare or reveal the Father.

John 1:14-18
14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 John bore witness of Him, and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.'" 16 For of His fulness we have all received, and grace upon grace. 17 For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. 18 No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him. NAS (cf. John 14:7-10; Colossians 1:15; Hebrew 1:3)

This was necessary because the Father is invisible (Col. 1:15; 1 Timothy 1:17; John 5:37). It is the Son’s unique function to make the Father who has never been seen known to man. This is the same role that the angel of the Lord had in the Old Testament.

Exodus 3:2-6
2 And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed. 3 So Moses said, "I must turn aside now, and see this marvelous sight, why the bush is not burned up." 4 When the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush, and said, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am." 5 Then He said, "Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground." 6 He said also, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Then Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. NAS
(cf. Genesis 16:13; Judges 13:18-22)

It seems that it is the role of the second member of the Trinity to appear visibly in both Testaments.

There is a Similarity in Pattern
The divine pattern in the New Testament is that the Father is the sender and the Son is the sent one.

John 3:17
17 "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him. NAS

This is also the pattern we see between the Lord and the angel of the Lord in the Old Testament.

Judges 13:8-9
8 Then Manoah entreated the LORD and said, "O Lord, please let the man of God whom Thou hast sent come to us again that he may teach us what to do for the boy who is to be born." 9 And God listened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came again to the woman as she was sitting in the field, but Manoah her husband was not with her. NAS

This relationship does not imply inferiority or superiority, but differing roles (see the description of the roles in the Godhead as described by Paul in Ephesians 1:3-14).

There is a Similarity in Presentation
Christ in his glory and the Angel of the Lord are described in similar ways. Speaking of these similarities Guy Funderburk writes,

His appearance [Angel of the Lord] to David and to Balaam was terrifying. He appeared to Moses in the midst of a fire, and vanished from Gideon with the holocaust fire. Daniel said His eyes were like flaming torches, and Ezekiel saw a brightness “like the appearance of fire” around one in “human form” seated on a throne (Dan. 10:6; Ezek. 1:26ff.). In comparison to these descriptions one can find striking similarities in John’s vision of Jesus, a part of which is, “his eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined as in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of many waters” (Rev. 1;14, 16). (Quoted by Rhodes on pp. 88)

There is a Similarity in Practice
There are at least six parallel ministries between our Lord Jesus Christ in the New Testament and the Angel of the Lord in the Old Testament.

They both were involved in a commissioning ministry
· The Angel of the Lord commissioned Moses (Exodus 3:7-8), Gideon (Judges 6:11-23), and Samson (Judges 13:1-21).

· Jesus in the New Testament commissioned the Disciples (Matthew 4:18-20), the Church (Matthew 28:18-20), the Apostle Paul (Acts 9:1-9).

They both were involved in an intercessory ministry
· The Angel of the Lord in the Old Testament (Zechariah 1:12-13; 3:1-2)

· Jesus in the New Testament (John 17; Hebrews 7:25; 1 John 2:1)

They both were involved in comforting ministries
· The Angel of the Lord with Hagar (Genesis 16:1-13); Elijah (1 Kings 19:4-9)

· Jesus Christ in numerous instances (Matthew 14:14; 15:32-39; 20:34)

They both were involved in deliverance ministries
· The Angel of the Lord did so with Israel (Exodus 3:8), Gideon (Judges 6) and Samson (Judges 13)

· Jesus Christ (Galatians 1:4; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 2 Timothy 4:18; Hebrews 2:14-15)

They both were involved in protecting ministries
· The Angel of the Lord (Psalm 34:7; Daniel 3:15-20; 6:16-22)

· Jesus Christ (Matthew 8:24-26)

They both were / are executors of God’s judgment
· The Angel of the Lord (1 Chronicles 21:7-15; Numbers 22:22-23; 2 Kings 19:35). This will be his role in Joshua 5:14.

· Jesus Christ (John 5:22; Acts 10:42; Revelation 19:11-16)

The best argument of all for Jesus being the Angel of the Lord is that after the incarnation the Angel of the Lord no longer appears in Scripture. Ron Rhodes writes,

In view of the substantial role played by the Angel throughout Old Testament history, his sudden disappearance after the incarnation would be strange indeed
unless he was a preincarnate manifestation of Jesus Christ. There is no other way to explain the Angel’s complete inactivity among human beings in New Testament times unless he is recognized as continuing his activity as God-incarnate—that is, as Jesus Christ (Christ Before the Manger, pp. 87).

No argument can be made that the New Testament refers to “an” angel of the Lord, but that is not the same the as “the” angel of the Lord.

Norman Geisler responds to this issue this way,

An angel of the Lord (Gabriel) appeared to Mary and Joseph (Matt. 1:20); an angel of the Lord spoke to Phillip (Acts 8:26); and an angel of the Lord released Peter (Acts 12:7), but not the Angel of the Lord. Furthermore, the New Testament ‘angel of the Lord,’ unlike “the Angel of the Lord in the Old Testament, did not permit worship of himself (cf. Rev. 22:8-9), but “the Angel of the Lord” in the Old Testament demanded worship (cf. Exodus 3:5; Joshua 5:15) (Quoted by Rhodes pp. 87).

Now having laid that foundation, in the next post I am going to give you four reasons why I believe that “the captain of the Lord’s host” is the same person as the Angel of the Lord.

By way of application Rhodes makes the point that all of those who encountered the preincarnate Christ, the Angel of the Lord in the Old Testament were changed in wonderful ways.

o Abraham became a man of faith (Genesis12-22)

o Hagar’s sorrow turned to joy (Genesis 16:10)

o Jacob’s life was change from that of a cheater to a prince (Genesis 32:24-32)

o Lowly Moses was commissioned, empowered and emboldened to deliver God’s people from
Egypt (Exodus 3:1-4:17)

Christ as God-incarnate continued this ministry in the New Testament.

Simon Peter (Luke 5:4-11), Levi (5:27-28), Zachaeus (Luke 19:1-10), Nathaniel (John 1:46-51), and Saul who became Paul (Acts 9:1-19) to name a few, all were inescapably and wonderfully changed by their encounter with Jesus Christ.

How about you? Have encountered this Jesus?

*While I gathered material on the Angel of the Lord from various commentaries and books on Theology, most do not address this issue in detail. Ron Rhodes has a great chapter in his book entitled, “Christ the Angel of the Lord” (pp.79-123), much of the material in this post comes from his book.

OLD TESTAMENT ORDINANCES - JOSHUA 5:1-12

2006-07-10T10:44:00.000-07:00

God knows how easily people forget. He also knows that one of the greatest enemies of faith is forgetfulness. That is why He gave Israel certain ceremonies, rites, feasts and memorials to observe. He did not want them to lose sight of what He had done for them.

Last time we noted that He had required Israel to establish a 12 stone memorial to remind them and the generations to come of His mighty power displayed in parting the waters of the Jordan River (Josh. 4:19-24). Now as we come to chapter 5 we see the Lord reinstating two important rites or ceremonies, circumcision and Passover.

The rite of circumcision would serve to remind Israel that they were His covenant people and heirs of the unconditional promise God made to Abraham. The Passover ceremony would serve to remind them of His love and grace in delivering them out of the bondage in Egypt.

In reinstating these two important Old Testament ordinances the Lord was also spiritually preparing Israel for the battles that lie ahead.

1 Now it came about when all the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard how the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the sons of Israel until they had crossed, that their hearts melted, and there was no spirit in them any longer, because of the sons of Israel.

Verse one probably should have been a part of chapter 4 since it summarizes the effect that the crossing of the Jordan had on the Canaanites. They were already afraid of Israel and their God and the crossing of the Jordan totally demoralized them. But instead of using the Canaanite's demoralized state to attack them, Joshua stops to reinstate these Old Testament ordinances. Warren Wiersbe describes this unusual action

You would have expected Joshua to mobilize the army immediately and attack Jericho. After all, the people of Israel were united in following the Lord; and the people of the land were paralyzed by fear. From the human point of view, it was the perfect time for Joshua to act. But God’s thoughts and ways are higher than ours (Isa. 55:8-9); and Joshua was getting his orders from the Lord, not from the military experts. The nation crossed the river on the tenth day of the first month (Josh. 4:19). The events described in Joshua 5 took at least ten days, and then the people marched around Jericho for six more days. God waited over two weeks before giving His people their first victory in the land (Be Strong, pp. 56).

Why reinstitute the ordinances now? Because Israel needed to be prepared. They also needed to be reminded that the victory would be God’s and God’s alone. It would be “neither the expertise of the Jewish army nor the emotions of the enemy that would give Israel the victory, but the presence and blessing of the Lord” (Be Strong, pp. 56-57).

Having established why this was the right time to reinstitute these two ordinances, let’s look at them a little closer.

The Rite of Circumcision – v.2-9
There are four things to note about Israel’s circumcision.

(1) The Command to Restore Circumcision – v.2-3

2 At that time the LORD said to Joshua, "Make for yourself flint knives and circumcise again the sons of Israel the second time." 3 So Joshua made himself flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth.
“At that time” links verse 2 with what has been said in verse 1. In other words, at the very moment when the Amorites and the Canaanites were frozen with fear God commanded Joshua to restore the rite of circumcision. It was the perfect time to do so since Israel could take the necessary time to circumcise the men and not worry about being attacked. They would have the time to heal and then ready themselves for the invasion and conquest.

Circumcision was a rite established by God that was meant to be a sign or symbol of the covenant that God made with Abraham when He called him out of Ur with a special promise. God promised He would give Abraham a land, a seed and a blessing (Genesis 12:1-3). The land was Canaan (the very land Israel was about to enter in and conquer). The seed was the nation of Israel and the blessing would ultimately be the birth of the Savior of the world.

This covenant that God made with Abraham was confirmed in Genesis 15 and in Genesis 17 God gave Abraham the sign of that covenant, circumcision (Genesis 17:9-14). Circumcision was to be a continuing rite in Israel for the purposes of reminding them of God’s promises. God commanded that every male, eight-days old, was to be circumcised.

The Lord states that Joshua was to make flint knives in order to do the circumcisions. This is an interesting command because at this point in history, Israel was in the Bronze Age and metals like bronze, copper and iron were available to them. Why then were they to make the knives out of “flint” (literally: knives of stones)?

Some have speculated that they were to use flint (a form of rock found in abundance in Canaan) for sanitary reasons. Others say they were to use flint for symbolic reasons (Exodus 4:25). The bottom line is we don’t know because we are not told why.

Interestingly, there is a tradition based on some of the old Greek translations of Joshua that state these knives were placed in the tomb of Joshua when he was buried.

The phrase "and circumcise again the sons of Israel the second time," is not to be taken to mean that these men had to be circumcised twice. Rather, it is a reference to the fact that for the second time in Israel’s history there was a national circumcision (Exodus 12:44, 48). As we will see in verse 4-5 these men had not yet been circumcised (with the exception of Joshua and Caleb).

Following the pattern that has already been established, God commands and Joshua obeys! Notice the almost identical wording in verses 2 and 3 (with the necessary changes in verb form).

2Make for yourself flint knives and circumcise again the sons of Israel

3 So Joshua made himself flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel

Although Joshua was in charge of carrying out the circumcision, there is no way that he could have circumcised every man all by himself. There were probably hundreds of thousands of men that needed to be circumcised. Surely he was assisted by Caleb, the priests and the elders / officers.

The name given to the location indicates the enormity of the task. Gibeath-haaraloth literally means, “the hill of foreskins” (David M. Howard, Joshua: NAC, pp. 149). The name could refer to an actual hill where the circumcisions took place or it could refer to a pile of severed foreskins. Either way a graphic picture is painted here for us.

(2) The Reason the Circumcision was Needed – v.4-7a

4 And this is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: all the people who came out of Egypt who were males, all the men of war, died in the wilderness along the way, after they came out of Egypt. 5 For all the people who came out were circumcised, but all the people who were born in the wilderness along the way as they came out of Egypt had not been circumcised.

The reason these men had to be circumcised is because they had not yet had the experience. Those who came out of Egypt had been circumcised (v.4-5a) but those who were born after the Exodus had not been circumcised (v.5b). Why the practice of circumcision had been suspended in the wilderness is not clear although verse 6 indicates that it was related to the rebellion that occurred at Kadesh- Barnea (Numbers 13-14).

6 For the sons of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, that is, the men of war who came out of Egypt, perished because they did not listen to the voice of the LORD, to whom the LORD had sworn that He would not let them see the land which the LORD had sworn to their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey. 7 And their children whom He raised up in their place, Joshua circumcised; for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them along the way.
The only question that remains is whether the suspension of the rite was initiated by God or whether it was initiated by Israel as further evidence of their rebellion.

David M. Howard, for example, sees the suspension initiated by the older generation as “at best an act of negligence and at worst a defiant act of disobedience, since circumcision had been required of Israel since the time of Abraham” (Joshua: NAC, pp. 150). This view is a real possibility since circumcision is ultimately an act of faith. If there is one thing we can say about the generation who came out of Egypt, we can say that they were faithless.

On the other hand, those who see the suspension as initiated by God believe that He did so as a sign of judgment. This view makes a great deal of sense to me. Remember what circumcision did for Israel.

Through this ritual the Jews became a “marked people” because they belonged to the true and living God. This meant that they were under obligation to obey Him. The mark of the covenant reminded them that their bodies belonged to the Lord and were not to be used for sinful purposes. Israel was surrounded by nations that worshiped idols and included in their worship rituals that were sensual and degrading. The mark of the covenant reminded the Jews that they were a special people, a separated people, a holy nation (Ex. 19:5-6), and that they were to maintain purity in their marriages, their society, and their worship of God (Warren Wiersbe, Be Strong, pp. 57).

Since at Kadesh-Barnea Israel refused to believe God and enter into the land, God, as it were, withdrew His blessings on them and suspended His covenant relationship with them. Since circumcision was a sign of the covenant and since that generation was no longer His covenant people it was useless to continue the rite.

Since the judgment of God on Israel was a national one, everyone, including young people and babies born in the wilderness (including Joshua and Caleb) had to live in an environment of a punished nation. They were God’s people and yet they were not! They remained the object of God’s care and yet they possessed no sign to show that they were His. He performed wonders for them and met their everyday needs even though they were temporarily not His covenant people.

“Unbelief may forfeit the benefits of the covenant promise, but it cannot negate the promise” (Dale Ralph Davis, No Falling Words, pp. 47). That statement helps us to understand the complexities of verses 6-7 and the beauty of God’s faithfulness. If one generation will not claim by faith God’s promises, then He will “raise up” another generation that will.

Warren Wiersbe points out an important lesson here for us about religious rites.

The physical operation of the body [circumcision] was meant to be a symbol of a spiritual operation on the heart. “Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer” (Deut. 10:16, NKJV). No amount of external surgery can change the inner person. It’s when we repent and turn to God for help that He can change our hearts and make us love and obey Him more (See Rom. 2:25-29).

But over the years, the Jews came to trust in the external mark of the covenant and not in the God of the covenant who wanted to make them a holy people. They thought that as long as they were God’s covenant people, they could live just as they pleased! Moses warned them about this sin (Deut. 30:6), and so did the prophets (Jer. 4:4). When John the Baptist called them to
repent, the Jewish spiritual leaders said, “We have Abraham as our father” (Matt. 3:9, NKJV). They were not unlike some people today who feel sure they’re saved and are going to heaven because they’re baptized, confirmed, and participate regularly in Communion. As good as these religious rites can be, they must never become substitutes for faith in Jesus Christ (See Rom. 2:25-29) (Be Strong, pp. 58-59).

Dale Ralph Davis puts it this way,

You can have all the marks of the people of God but lack the response of the people of God. You can receive the sacrament but have no faith. Paul is right – you can experience the exodus, eat the manna, drink the water from the rock, and remain in unbelief (1 Cor. 10:1-5). You may hold membership among God’s flock but have no relationship with the Shepherd. You may live in the King’s country but reject his sovereignty (No Falling Words, pp. 46).

(3) The Response of the People – v.7b-8

7 And their children whom He raised up in their place, Joshua circumcised; for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them along the way. 8 Now it came about when they had finished circumcising all the nation, that they remained in their places in the camp until they were healed.
The people responded with obedient faith – They submitted to the direction of the Lord. Make no mistake about it their obedience was a result of their faith. Think of where they were, camped in enemy territory, just a few miles from Jericho and now they were going to allow themselves to be temporarily disabled by this procedure. Nearly every male in the nation would be out of action.

This brings up an important point of application. Often after a victory of some kind God allows us to be tested. This was true with Elijah (1 Kings 18-19) and Jesus as well (Matthew 3:13-4:11). This point of testing is to remind us to trust in him rather than ourselves. Andrew Bonar (1810-1892) the great Scottish preacher was known to say, “Let us be as watchful after victory as before the battle” (Be Strong, pp. 59).

(4) The Results of their Obedience – v.9

9 Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you." So the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day.

Because they submitted to the Lord’s commands, He “rolled away the reproach of Egypt” from them. What was the “reproach of Egypt?” There are several different views, but the one I like the most is that it refers to the ridicule of the Egyptians who concluded that because Israel was wandering for forty years in the wilderness that God had abandoned them (cf. Exodus 32:11-12; Numbers 14:11-16). Now that Israel was in the Promised Land and now that they bore His special mark, they were no longer a reproach to God.

The name “Gilgal” is a form of the Hebrew word “galal” which means “to roll.” At Gilgal, God rolled away the reproach of Egypt.

The Feast of the Passover – v.10-12
While the children of Israel were still in Egypt God instituted the feast of Passover. Passover is a special event connected with Israel’s deliverance from bondage and slavery. Since Pharaoh hardened his heart after each of the nine plagues, the tenth would involve the death of the firstborn in all of Egypt.

Exodus 11:5
5 and all the first-born in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first-born of the Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the first-born of the slave girl who is behind the millstones; all the first-born of the cattle as well.
God told Moses that the children of Israel would be spared from this judgment if they would put the blood of a lamb on the doorposts of their house.

Exodus 12:12-13
12 'For I will go through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike down all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments-- I am the LORD. 13 'And the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.
Having the blood over the doorposts would cause the angel of death to pass over that household. Israel was commanded by the Lord to observe the Feast of the Passover as a permanent ordinance and continuing reminder of His love and grace (Exodus 12:14).

The Passover Feast was to be observed every year on the fourteenth day of the first month (Exodus 12:6). Interestingly, this is exactly what Israel did as they camped at Gilgal. Joshua 5:10 reminds us of the chronology and timing of the entrance into the Promised Land.

10 While the sons of Israel camped at Gilgal, they observed the Passover on the evening of the fourteenth day of the month on the desert plains of Jericho.
Once again, we see that Israel, led by Joshua obeyed the word of the Lord.

Unlike the rite of circumcision, we do have one post-Egypt reference to the observance of Passover while Israel was in the wilderness (Numbers 9:1-14). However, the observance occurred at Mt. Sinai BEFORE Israel left for Kadesh-Barnea. There is no other evidence that Israel commemorated the Passover at any other time during the wilderness wandering. The unbelief of the first generation had cost Israel dearly.

11 And on the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. 12 And the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten some of the produce of the land, so that the sons of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate some of the yield of the land of Canaan during that year.
Three times in these two verses we are told that Israel now ate from the produce of the land. This was significant for two reasons.

(1) It meant that Israel could now observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread – v.11 (cf. Exodus 12:14-20; Lev. 23:6-8)
The Feast of Unleavened Bread always followed the Passover. It was a rite whereby Israel avoided leaven (yeast) and ate only unleavened bread. The timing of Israel’s entrance into the Promised Land was providential since it was barley harvest season. This meant that grain was readily available. Warren Wiersbe writes,

No doubt the inhabitants of the area had left grain behind when they fled to Jericho for safety; thus that grain was also available. The Lord prepared a table for His people in the presence of their enemies, and Israel didn’t have to be afraid (Ps. 23:5) (Be Strong, pp. 63-64).

(2) It meant that they no longer had to eat manna – v.12
This must have been especially sweet after 40 years of manna (Exodus 16:1-35). While the Passover reminded the Jews of their redemption from Egypt, the manna was a constant reminder of their desire to go back to Egypt (Exodus 16:3). It seems it was easier for God to take the people out of Egypt than it was to take Egypt out of the people.

That’s the way it is for us sometimes. Paul had to give this reminder to the Colossians, and it is one we should do well to remember ourselves.

Colossians 3:1-11
1 If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
5 Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. 6 For it is on account of these things that the wrath of God will come, 7 and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, 10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him 11 --a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.

OBSTACLE ILLUSIONS PT. 3 - JOSHUA 4:1-24

2006-07-04T10:43:00.000-07:00

Joshua 3-4 is all about how God moved Israel passed the obstacle of the Jordan River and forward by faith. Along with our two previous studies we are establishing that God did three things to accomplish this.

He Gave Israel a Clear Message – v.3:1-13
He Gave Israel a Confirming Miracle – v.3:14-17
He Gave Israel a Continuing Memorial – v.4:1-24

It is this last point that we want to focus on this time.

The greatest enemy of faith may be forgetfulness. How often have we been delivered by God passed an obstacle in our life, only to struggle passed a new obstacle because we forgot about how God had delivered us before?

The Lord did not want Israel to forget about how He delivered them through the obstacle of the Jordan River, because they would face many more obstacles to come (Jericho being the next one). Because He did not want them to forget He commanded them to establish a memorial to remind them and future generations of His great work on their behalf.

If you remember Joshua 3:14-17 gave us a general account of the crossing of the Jordan with the emphasis on the miracle itself. Now as we come to chapter 4:1-24, we are given some specific details about the completion of the crossing and the establishment of the memorial. Chapter 4 really gives us the big picture of the crossing.

As we go through this passage we will be going back and forth between a description of the memorial and the completion of the crossing. Given this fact, it is a very difficult chapter to outline. However, we are going to divide the chapter into five parts. The memorial is commanded, the memorial is explained, the memorial is copied, the crossing is completed and the memorial is established.

The Memorial is Commanded – v.1-3

1 Now it came about when all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan, that the LORD spoke to Joshua, saying, 2 "Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from each tribe, 3 and command them, saying,' Take up for yourselves twelve stones from here out of the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests' feet are standing firm, and carry them over with you, and lay them down in the lodging place where you will lodge tonight.' "
Verse 1 is an almost verbatim repeat of the last nine words of v.3:17. This helps to tie the two chapters together. The writer adds the phrase that the LORD spoke to Joshua, saying, in order to remind us that everything that was done was done according to the Lord’s commands. Warren Wiersbe states,

The Lord was in control of all the activities at the Jordan River that day. He told the priests when to enter the river and when to leave and go to the other side. He told the water when to roll back and when to return. Both the water and the people obeyed Him, and everything worked out as God planned. It was a day that glorified the Lord and magnified His servant Joshua (v.14) (Be Strong, pp. 52).

Back in v.3:12 Joshua mentioned that the people would have to select twelve men, one from every tribe and then he left us hanging there. Now we are going to get some more details. This reminds us that there seems to be an interesting pattern that develops in chapters 3-4. The pattern involves anticipation / confirmation and command / fulfillment. David M. Howard explains,

God’s words in 3:7 promising Joshua that he would exalt him in Israel’s eyes, and the report in 4:14 that this came about precisely as God had promised, or Joshua’s words in 3:13 about what would happen to the waters of the Jordan when the priests entered them, and the report in 3:16-17 showing that this was exactly what happened.

God’s command in 4:2-3 is more detailed than Joshua’s words in 3:12. In 4:3, the actual duties of these men are revealed, the men were to take twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from the spot where the priests were standing firmly, and carry them to their lodging place for the night (Joshua: NAC, pp. 133-134).

There is also an interesting pattern that develops here in regard to communication and obedience. This pattern is seen throughout the book of Joshua.

(1) God tells Joshua what to do
(2) Joshua tells the people
(3) The people obey

We have already seen an example of this pattern in chapter one.

(1) God gave His commands to Joshua – v.1:2ff
(2) Joshua communicated His commands to the people – v.1:10-11ff
(3) The people obeyed – v.1:16-18

Here in chapter four the pattern continues.

(1) God commands – v. 4:1-3, 15-16
(2) Joshua Instructs – v. 4:4-7, 17
(3) The people obey – v. 4:8, 18

This gives us good insight into the communication process of God’s revelation. (However, we don’t want to minimize the priesthood of the believer in the communication process. There must be a balance between personal study and corporate teaching).

The Memorial is Explained – v.4-8
4 So Joshua called the twelve men whom he had appointed from the sons of Israel, one man from each tribe;
In v.3:12 (and implied in 4:2) we are told that the people were to choose the twelve men, but here in v.4:4 we are told that Joshua appointed them. Is this a contradiction and if so, what is the solution?

The word “appointed” is from the same root word that is translated as “firm” in 3:17 and 4:3. The idea here is that just as the priests stood firmly in the midst of the Jordan River, Joshua was causing these twelve men who had been selected by the people to be firmly established as the right choices.

It is also significant that twelve men were selected not nine and a half (given that only none and half tribes were actually going to reside on this side of the Jordan). The fact that they were to choose twelve men reinforced the unity of the nation.

5 and Joshua said to them, "Cross again to the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel.
These twelve men were to go back into the dry Jordan (compare v.3:17; 4:1) and each one was to select a stone and take it back to the shore (where they would be residing that night v.3). The fact that they were to place the stone on their shoulder indicates that these were large rocks. Verse 20 indicates that this place would become Israel’s base of operation and be called Gilgal. These stones were to be used specifically for the memorial.

6 Let this be a sign among you, so that when your children ask later, saying, 'What do these stones mean to you?' 7 then you shall say to them,' Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.' So these stones shall become a memorial to the sons of Israel forever. "
As a memorial stones were to be a sign and a point teaching to future generations about God’s great work in getting Israel passed this obstacle. According to Paul Enns the memorial actually served four purposes.

(1) It was a witness of God’s faithfulness in bringing the nation into the land of Canaan. (2) It was a sign to future generations of what God had done. It was the Oriental way of continually handing down important teachings of how God had worked on behalf of His people (4:6). (3) It was to teach the Israelite children of God’s power (cf. vv.22-24). (4) It was to teach the nations of the earth that the Lord alone is God (Joshua: Bible Study Commentary, pp. 44).

He goes on to say that this was not an unusual procedure,

…for Scripture contains incidents where Israel used similar methods of teaching their children: (1) The Feast of the Passover was a teaching device for the children to show them God had redeemed the nation Israel from out of Egypt by the applied blood (Exod. 12:26-27). (2) The firstborn animals of the Israelites were the Lord’s and were set apart for Him (13:12-14). (3) The law was a sign of how God wanted the nation to live after He brought them out of Egypt (Deut.
6:20-25) (ibid pp. 44).

We have a memorial today in the church. What is it? Communion. Like Israel we ought to use our memorial as an opportunity to teach our children and future generations.

Verse 7 indicates that this memorial was to be a perpetual reminder (“forever”). Evidently, Israel didn’t do a very good job of teaching (Judges 2:7-10). What a sober warning that should be to us.

8 And thus the sons of Israel did, as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, just as the LORD spoke to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel; and they carried them over with them to the lodging place, and put them down there.
Verse 8 is a summary verse that tells us that Israel immediately obeyed all that God had commanded.

The Memorial is Copied – v.9
While there is some disagreement, it is evident to me that two memorials were established on this day, one on the shore at Gilgal and one in the riverbed.

9 Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan at the place where the feet of the priests who carried the ark of the covenant were standing, and they are there to this day. NAS

These verses indicate there were two memorials. The first was at Gilgal, on the land, to show what happened (v.4:8; cf. v.19f.). The second memorial was in the river to show where it happened (vv.9-18) (Paul Enns Joshua: Bible Study Commentary pp. 44).

Why did Joshua do this? Gene Getz gives his opinion:

There is no record that God had instructed him [Joshua] to do this. Probably it was a spontaneous act of worship. Joshua already knew what God’s purpose was in having them carry the stones from Jordan, so he simply decided to pile up 12 stones in Jordan as a personal testimony to what God had done for Israel in backing up the waters of the Jordan River. The text tells us that these stones “are there to this day” (v.9) (Joshua: Defeat to Victory pp. 74).

Each year as the water of the river rose and subsided the memorial in the river would become visible and serve to remind all those who saw it of God’s care and protection of His people.

The Crossing is Completed – v.10-18
10 For the priests who carried the ark were standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything was completed that the LORD had commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua. And the people hurried and crossed; 11 and it came about when all the people had finished crossing, that the ark of the LORD and the priests crossed before the people. 12 And the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over in battle array before the sons of Israel, just as Moses had spoken to them; 13 about 40,000, equipped for war, crossed for battle before the LORD to the desert plains of Jericho. 14 On that day the LORD exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; so that they revered him, just as they had revered Moses all the days of his life.

The crossing of the people was completed just as God had promised and Joshua was exalted in the eyes of Israel in fulfillment of God’s word in chapter 3:7.

7 Now the LORD said to Joshua, "This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you.
Verses 15-18 describe the final stage of the crossing as the priests, who had remained in the river, were finally able to come ashore.

15 Now the LORD said to Joshua, 16 "Command the priests who carry the ark of the testimony that they come up from the Jordan." 17 So Joshua commanded the priests, saying, "Come up from the Jordan." 18 And it came about when the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD had come up from the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up to the dry ground, that the waters of the Jordan returned to their place, and went over all its banks as before.
Joshua 4:18 is a mirror image of Joshua 3:15. Notice also that the miraculous nature of the crossing is again highlighted.

that the waters of the Jordan returned to their place, and went over all its banks as before
The Memorial is Established – v.19-24
19 Now the people came up from the Jordan on the tenth of the first month and camped at Gilgal on the eastern edge of Jericho.
Verse 19 is a very exciting verse because it tells us that the crossing was completed on the tenth day of the first month. The month of Nisan (March-April) was the first month in the Jewish calendar and it is also the month in which God had commanded Israel to celebrate the Passover. The tenth day was the day that the Passover Lamb was to be selected (Exodus 12:3). It was also the day in which Israel began to prepare for the Exodus 40 years earlier. One other important thing the mention of the day does, it hints at what is going to happen in chapter 5.

As mentioned previously, Gilgal became Israel’s early base of operation because it was strategically located (cf. Joshua 9:6; 10:6, 15, 43; 14:6). Warren Wiersbe notes that,

In later years Gilgal became an important center for the nation. Israel crowned their first king at Gilgal (1 Sam. 11); there David was welcomed back after Absalom’s rebellion was subdued (2 Sam. 19); and Samuel thought Gilgal important enough to include it in his “ministry circuit” (1 Sam. 7:16). There was a “school of prophets” at Gilgal in the days of Elijah and Elisha (2 Kings 2:1-2; 4:38) (Be Strong, pp. 52-53).

It is worth noting that later Gilgal was condemned by the prophets for its false worship. Wiersbe writes,

It’s unfortunate that this memorial at Gilgal gradually lost its spiritual meaning and instead became a shrine where the Jews sinned against God by worshiping there. The Prophet Hosea condemned the people for worshiping at Gilgal instead of Jerusalem (Hosea 4:15; 9:15; 12:11), and Amos echoed his warnings (Amos 4:4; 5:5) (ibid).

20 And those twelve stones which they had taken from the Jordan, Joshua set up at Gilgal.
Verse 20 reinforces the point that Israel did as God had commanded. In verses 21-24 Joshua reviews and reinforces the purpose of the memorials.

21 And he said to the sons of Israel, "When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, 'What are these stones?' 22 then you shall inform your children, saying,' Israel crossed this Jordan on dry ground.' 23 "For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed, just as the LORD your God had done to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed; 24 that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, so that you may fear the LORD your God forever."

We close this section with two thoughts concerning miracles and memorials.

(1) Memorials are important as long as they don’t become idols.

It is important for us to lay down markers in the life of the church so that we can be reminded of God’s wondrous working in our ministries. In addition, the next generation needs reminders of what God has done for us so that their faith can be strengthened. However, the there is a danger in that we can be so linked to the past that we lose focus for the present and momentum for the future.

(2) Miracles are important but infrequent events designed to be long term reminders of God’s power.

Dale Ralph Davis says,

There is an implication here. If Yahweh so insists that Israel remember this day, it implies that this event was unique and that Yahweh does not usually work with such visibly raw power. If Yahweh did something of this magnitude every fifth Wednesday or so, why should Israel need to remember Jordan Day? Apparently, this sort of miracle will be infrequent. Yahweh’s standard method of retaining his people’s fidelity is not by frequent and dazzling displays of power but by faithful witness and teaching of those particular acts in which he had already demonstrated his care fir his own (Joshua: No Falling Words, pp. 39-40).

It is important for us to be able to explain to the next generation what the memorials and markers in our lives mean. Unfortunately, when you read the book of Judges you will see that Israel failed to do this.

Judges 2:6-10
6 When Joshua had dismissed the people, the sons of Israel went each to his inheritance to possess the land. 7 And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who survived Joshua, who had seen all the great work of the LORD which He had done for Israel. 8 Then Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of one hundred and ten. 9 And they buried him in the territory of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash. 10 And all that generation also were gathered to their fathers; and there arose another generation after them who did not know the LORD, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel.
May we do better!

OBSTACLE ILLUSIONS PT. 2 - JOSHUA 3:14-17

2006-06-29T10:36:00.000-07:00

Often times our obstacles are nothing more than God’s opportunities to display His power, and to build our faith. Certainly this was the case with Israel and the Jordan River. From our text we find that Israel is ready to go in and to take possession of the Promised Land. However, one major obstacle remained – The Jordan River at flood stage, and what an obstacle it was.

This normally mild river, every spring, turned into a swift running, mile wide current that kept even the bravest from trying to cross it. How would Joshua get two million people plus livestock and possessions across? How would the Lord get Israel passed this giant obstacle and moving forward by faith? He gave them three things……

He Gave them a Clear Message – v.3:1-13
This clear message was that He was going to be with them and show them the way passed this obstacle. In this case, His presence is represented by the ark of the covenant (mentioned seventeen times in chapters 3-4). This idea that the Lord was going to be with them and lead them is communicated through a series of instructions.

The message is communicated……..
· From Elders to the People – v.3-4
· From Joshua to the people and the Priests – v.5-6
· From God to Joshua – v.7-8
· From Joshua to the People – v.9-13

Warren Wiersbe writes,

As you review these messages, you can see that the Lord gave them all the information they needed to accomplish what He wanted them to do. You find conditions that the people had to fulfill, orders they had to obey, and promises they had to believe. God always gives His “Word of faith” to His people whenever He asks them to follow Him into new areas of conflict and conquest. God’s commandments are still His enablements, and God’s promises do not fail (Be
Strong, pp. 50).

The second thing that God did to help Israel passed this obstacle and moving forward by faith is a confirming miracle.

He Gave them a Confirming Miracle – v.14-17
Remember the book of Joshua is about the victory that comes to those who keep moving forward by faith and the glory that comes to God when His people trust and obey Him. So, as we look at this miracle, let us look at it from that dual perspective. God used this miracle to do both!

God used this Miracle to Bring Glory to Himself – v.15b-16a

(for the Jordan overflows all its banks all the days of harvest),

As we noted last time, during most of year, the Jordan River is about 100 feet wide and very shallow in most places. However during flood season, the river overflowed its banks and became a mile wide and up to twelve feet deep in some places. In addition, because of the drop in elevation between the Sea Galilee and the Dead Sea nearly a thousand foot drop), the river became a raging torrent. The writer reminds us of the nature of the river so that we will understand and appreciate the magnitude of the miracle.

Now in v.16a we have a description of the miracle itself. We are told that when the Priests feet touched the edge of the river (v.15a), the waters which were flowing down from above stood and rose up in one heap, a great distance away at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan.

The miracle is this, when the priest’s feet touched the river the water pushed back toward Adam and remained there in a heap (see NIV translation). As a result, the water that flowed into the Dead (Salt) Sea was also “cut off.” Adam was a city located about fifteen miles north of where it is believed that Israel crossed the Jordan.

and those which were flowing down toward the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off.
The distance between the heap of water near Adam and the Dead Sea (estimated at about 20 miles) gave Israel plenty of room cross over to the other side. When God removes obstacles, He really removes obstacles!

Not surprisingly, some “Bible Scholars” have tried to explain the miracle in light of natural circumstances (i.e. collapsed banks or landslides etc.). Paul Enns (Bible Study Commentary: Joshua, pp. 41-42) gives several reasons why this event is best explained as a miracle of God.

(1) The Bible treats the crossing as a miracle. There is a definite emphasis on the fact that the crossing occurred when the Jordan overflowed its banks (3:15).

(2) The exact time the crossing occurred also points to the miraculous. Precisely when the priest’s feet touch the water, the flow of water stopped (v.15-16); similarly, when the priest’s feet left the water on the other side—at exactly that moment—the water resumed flowing (4:18). This obviously was not a mere coincidence and should not be explained from that standpoint.

(3) The river was at flood stage and could not have been dammed up at that time—certainly not long enough for such a large contingent of people to cross.

(4) The emphasis is also on the fact that the Israelites crossed the river on “dry ground”—mentioned twice in 3:17. The same Hebrew word is used to describe the miracle of the Red Sea crossing in Exodus 14:21.

(5) The inhabitants of the land understood the crossing in terms of a miracle (5:1). Only a miracle wrought by Almighty God could have brought two million men, women and children across the flooded Jordan.

The question does arise, why didn’t God just bring Israel into the Promised Land when the river was at its lowest stages? Why now? Two reasons come to mind.

Reason #1 – As a Witness to Israel
He is in control and they couldn’t be victorious without Him. Dale Ralph Davis writes,

Why does the God of the Bible insist on fording the river at the most unpropitious time? I am not sure. But this is a marked tendency in his ways. Yahweh delights to show his might in the face of our utter helplessness, apparently so that we cannot help seeing that we contribute nothing to our deliverance (cf. Judg. 7:2).

There is a strangeness about Yahweh’s method, and yet there is a method in his “madness.” Perhaps he brings us into impossible circumstances, situations so bleak and hopeless, for the very purpose of impressing upon us that if we make it through, if we endure it, if we are not
overwhelmed and washed away, it will be only because of his grace and power. Is this his way of teaching us our own inability and helplessness in order that we may realize that our “help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth” (Ps. 121:2). (No Falling Words, pp. 38-39)

Reason #2 – As a Witness to the Canaanites

Through this miracle God was not only confirming His power and grace to Israel, but He was also demonstrating it to the inhabitants of Canaan. He was once again giving the inhabitants of Canaan another opportunity to repent of their sins and turn from their idolatry to the living and true God. He was looking for more Rahabs!

The Lord had been issuing warning after warning to the Canaanites that judgment was coming. From the crossing of the Red Sea onward, each miracle said to them: “Doom is coming, repent! Turn from your wicked ways and worship me!” I truly believe that if others would have repented, asked for mercy and turned to the Lord by faith, as Rahab had, then God would have saved them as well.

The Ninevites are a perfect example of this. Through the reluctant prophet Jonah, God warned the Ninevites that in forty days He was going to destroy them. The Ninevites listened to Jonah and repented and God relented (Jonah 3:1-10).

Gene Getz writes,

It is impossible to explain how a sovereign God who declares something is going to happen can actually change His mind. But when people repent, God relents! Inherent in God’s nature is the ability to withdraw judgment when a man turns to Him (Gene Getz, Joshua: Defeat to Victory, pp. 63).

Sadly, unlike the Ninevites, the Canaanites refused to repent. They stand as an example of the total depravity of man, because in spite of this great witness, they did not and would not repent. Had they repented, had they listened to the voice of God, He would have turned away His wrath and with a heart of love welcomed them into the fold as He did Rahab. Jonah understood how this could happen:

Jonah 4:2
2 And he prayed to the LORD and said, "Please LORD, was not this what I said while I was still in my own country? Therefore, in order to forestall this I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that Thou art a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity.

No one can say that the Canaanites didn’t get what they deserve, yet, I am so thankful that He is a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity. Because He is I am not getting what I deserve!

Just as Israel and the Ninevites became a witness to God’s mercy so should we.

1 Peter 2:9-12
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul. 12 Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may on account of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.
Every time God shows mercy toward another damned to hell sinner, He brings glory to Himself.

Not only did God use this miracle to bring glory to himself, but He also used it to move Israel forward by faith.
God used this Miracle to Move Israel Forward by Faith – v.14-15a, 17

God did three things to keep Israel moving forward by faith.

(1) He Kept their Faith Focused – v.14

14 So it came about when the people set out from their tents to cross the Jordan with the priests carrying the ark of the covenant before the people,
Faith is only as good as its object. Here Israel was forced to focus on the presence of God because the ark was going before the people. Only bad things can happen to us when we take our focus off of the Lord (1 Kings 19:1-3). We will never get beyond our obstacles if the Lord is not our focus. I am always amazed at the story of the feeding of the five thousand. The disciples were faced with a gigantic obstacle and they solution was staring them in the face (Jesus). However, they could only focus on the obstacle (Luke 9:10-17).

If we are going to keep moving forward by faith then we must keep our faith focused on the omnipotent God and our glorious Savior.

Ephesians 3:20-21
20 Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, 21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
(2) He Required them to Act on their Faith – v.15a

15 and when those who carried the ark came into the Jordan, and the feet of the priests carrying the ark were dipped in the edge of the water
Faith is not something static rather it is something that requires action and/or effort. Faith is not always sitting back and watching God work, but is acting on God’s promises. Unless we are willing to “step out” in faith and get our “feet wet” we will never get beyond our obstacles.

Imagine what was going through the minds of the Priests as they approached the swollen Jordan River (for the Jordan overflows all its banks all the days of harvest), knowing that they were going to have to step into it. However, in order activate their faith they had to go to the water’s edge and take that first step.

And as He usually does, God honored their faith when they took that step.

16 that the waters which were flowing down from above stood and rose up in one heap, a great distance away at Adam,
As they continued to walk, the water rolled away!

Warren Wiersbe writes,

When God opened the Red Sea, He used a strong wind that blew the whole night before (Ex. 14:21-22). This was not an accident, for the wind was the blast of God’s nostrils (15:8). When Moses lifted his rod, the waters flowed back and drowned the Egyptian army (14:26-28). When Israel crossed the Jordan River, it was not the obedient arm of a leader that brought the miracle but the obedient feet of the people. Unless we are willing to step out by faith and obey His Word, God can never open the way for us (Be Strong, pp. 51).
Again, God’ word is the key to “stepping out” by faith. His word here is a promise that He must fulfill because of His nature (Hebrews 6:13-18). “The test of Faith is trusting God when all we have are His promises” (John MacArthur). When the obstacles of life impede us and when we think we cannot go any farther, when we have nothing left but His promises to rely on, then we are in good shape. That is the best time to step out by faith and watch Him work.

(3) He Rewarded their Faith – v.17

17 And the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan while all Israel crossed on dry ground, until all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan.
As they acted on their faith we are told that they priests stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan while all Israel crossed on dry ground. So much for the Jordan River as an obstacle! God rewards an active faith. Notice the use of the word “all” (all Israel; all the nation). The Lord does what He promises to do, completely.

In the Christian life you either an overcomer or the overcome; you are either a victor or a victim. God has not called us to be statues defeated by our obstacles, but we are called to be His saints moving forward by faith to victory.

1 John 5:4
4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world-- our faith.
Are you stuck afraid to dip your toe in the water or are you moving forward by faith on dry ground?

OBSTACLE ILLUSIONS PT.1 - JOSHUA 3:1-13

2006-06-25T14:34:00.000-07:00

FINALLY! After centuries of waiting, Israel was on the verge of entering into the Promised Land, the land that had been promised to Abraham and his descendents over 400 years earlier (Genesis 12:1-3; 15:18). This was a historic moment, one that the Patriarchs could only dream about. Now Israel was about to go in and take their promised possession. However, one obstacle remained, the Jordan River.

Normally the Jordan River would not have been a major obstacle to entering into the land, but it was April and the river was at its highest level. It was in its flood stage. During most of the year, the Jordan River was about 100’ feet wide, but during the spring flood season it would overflow its banks and become a mile wide in some spots. In addition, the very word “Jordan” means “descender” because the river drops nearly 1,000’ in elevation as it goes from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea. It has been estimated that this increases the speed of the current by about ten miles per hour during flood season.

Humanly speaking, there was no possible way for the children of Israel to cross the Jordan as this time of the year. Think about it, funneling across, at one spot, two-million people along with livestock and possessions seems like an insurmountable problem. How as Joshua going to get the whole nation across the river? He wasn’t, but God was.

The only question that remained had to do with whether Israel would trust the Lord to get them passed this seemingly insurmountable obstacle.

In chapter 2 the focus was on the faith of one individual, Rahab. In chapters 3-4 the focus is on the faith of the entire nation as a whole. Chapters 3-4 go together as one unit because they describe how God led Israel through this obstacle to victory. In addition to leading Israel through this obstacle the Lord also helped Israel to move forward by faith. He did this in three ways. He gave them a clear message (v.3:1-13), he gave them a confirming miracle (v.3:14-17), and he gave them a continuous memorial (v.4:1-24).
Before we look at the first element of God’s help in overcoming the obstacle set before them, let’s set the context.

1 Then Joshua rose early in the morning; and he and all the sons of Israel set out from Shittim and came to the Jordan, and they lodged there before they crossed.

Joshua 3:1 tells us that Israel moved from their camp at Shittim (Acacia Grove) and made the approximately seven mile journey to the Jordan. This was done in fulfillment of Joshua’s earlier plans (Joshua 1:11).

11 "Pass through the midst of the camp and command the people, saying, 'Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you are to cross this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the LORD your God is giving you, to possess it.'"

As was stated in our study of that passage, the phrase “within three days” has caused a great deal of debate regarding the chronology of the story (compare v.1:11 with v.2:22; 3:2). Does this indicate an error in Scripture? Does God’s word contradict itself? Is the Bible trustworthy?

Various solutions have been offered to solve the dilemma.

Solution #1 – This theory states that the term “three days” is a stereotypical / general phrase that really means, “in a few days.”

Solution #2 – This theory states that in v.1:11 Joshua was simply estimating when they would cross the Jordan. However, he did not anticipate the spies being delayed for an additional three days. In this scenario it actually took six days to get the people ready to cross the Jordan.

Solution #3 – This theory states that Joshua sent out the spies prior to his comments in v.1:11, therefore the account in chapter two is not chronological but parenthetical.

Which solution, if any is correct? Let me suggest a solution that combines theory #1 and theory #3.

The phrase “within three days” is a Hebrew idiom that can mean “on the third day.” The NIV translates it, “three days from now.” In addition, we should mention that time in the Old Testament was kept in an inclusive manner. In other words, the first and last units or fractions of units of a group were included as fuller units of the total group. Thus, part of today, tomorrow and the next day day can be called three days (which is helpful to understand v.2:22; 3:2).

If we assume that Joshua sent out the spies before v.1:11, then the following chronology is possible.

Day #1 – The announcement is made in v.1:11 to prepare to move.
Day #2 – The people move from the Acacia Grove to the Jordan
Day #3 – Israel receives its instructions about the crossing of the
Jordan as stated in v.3:1-13.

Somewhere during this time the spies return and give their report. Never panic when someone points out a seeming contradiction in God’s word, there is usually a good explanation.

In any event, the narrative picks up at v.3:2 and begins the description of the clear message of faith.

God Gave Israel a Clear Message – v.2-13

Think for a moment about the people as they waited by the Jordan looking at the flood swollen river. They must have wondered, “How are we going to get across that thing?” Remember now that this was their first major crisis for Joshua to handle. How was he going to respond? Like Moses, Joshua knew where to go for instruction.

It seems clear that Joshua received direct communication from the Lord throughout these first few chapters instructing him specifically on what to do. These instructions were in turn communicated to the Elders and then to the people (3:2-4; cf. 1:10-11).

What was the clear message that was to be communicated here in chapter 3? The Lord would be with them and lead them through this obstacle (a point that is emphasized in every set of instructions). This message is made clear in verse 2-3 with the mention of the Ark of the Covenant.

2 And it came about at the end of three days that the officers went through the midst of the camp; 3 and they commanded the people, saying, "When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God with the Levitical priests carrying it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it.

This is the first mention of the ark in Joshua but it will not be the last. In fact, the Ark of the Covenant is mentioned seventeen times in chapters 3-4 alone. It is mentioned ten times in chapter 3 (v.3, 6 [twice], 8, 11, 13, 14, 15 [twice], 17) and seven times in chapter 4 (v.5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 16, 18). This many mentions of the ark are meant to serve as an assurance to the people. How? The ark represented the symbol of God’s presence among His people (Exodus 25). By making the ark the prominent focus God was saying, “Don’t look at the obstacle, look at Me.” Verse 3 drives this point home.

"When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God”…..
“then you shall set out from your place and go after it”

As we saw in chapter one, there was an order to how God communicated His instructions to the people, so too here, there is an order to how the clear message of His presence and guidance is communicated to the people.

The Elders Instruct the People – v.2-4

2 And it came about at the end of three days that the officers went through the midst of the camp; 3 and they commanded the people, saying, "When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God with the Levitical priests carrying it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it.4 However, there shall be between you and it a distance of about 2,000 cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you shall go, for you have not passed this way before."

The purpose of this step in the instruction process is direction. The people were given specific direction as to how they were to proceed and in what order they were to proceed.

As to the order they were to proceed in, they were to follow the instructions given to them by God in Numbers 2. In that chapter the various tribes were assigned specific positions when they traveled and specific locations when they set up camp.

This is what is referred to in v.3 where the people are told,

"When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God with the Levitical priests carrying it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it."

As to how they were to proceed, again, the people were given specific instructions previously about the proper transportation of the ark (Exodus 25:12-13; Numbers 4:15; Deuteronomy 10:8).

4 However, there shall be between you and it a distance of about 2,000 cubits by measure.

It is believed that a cubit was the distance from a man’s finger tips to his elbow, generally, about eighteen inches. If this is the case then 2,000 cubits would be about 3,000 feet, or 1,000 yards. Why were they to stay so far back? No doubt one reason was to remind the people about the holiness of God. They were not to take His presence lightly. However, the text clearly gives the reason.

Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you shall go, for you have not passed this way before."

In a very long sentence, Keil and Delitzsch explain,

The ark was carried in front of the people, not so much to show the road as to make a road by dividing the waters of the Jordan, and the people were to keep at a distance from it, that they might not lose sight of the ark, but keep their eyes fixed upon it, and know the road by looking at the ark of the covenant by which the road had been made, i.e., might know and observe how the Lord, through the medium of the ark, was leading them to Canaan by a way which they had never traversed before, i.e., by a miraculous way. (Quoted in Joshua: Bible Study Commentary, Paul P. Enns, pp. 36-37)

Since the people had never traveled this way before, they needed God to Guide them. By keeping the right distance the people would be able to keep their eyes fixed on Him (through the ark) and stay on the right path.

Joshua Instructs the People and Priests – v.5-6

The purpose for this step in the instruction process is preparation.

5 Then Joshua said to the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you."

To the people, Joshua said prepare yourselves by consecration for the great thing God is going to do tomorrow. The word consecrate is the Hebrew word qadash and has the basic idea of being set apart (just like the New Testament word hagios). Joshua’s words of instruction are both a command and a promise. The fulfillment of the promise depended on the obedience of the command.

Warren Wiersbe makes an interesting point,

Some of God’s promises are unconditional, and all we have to do is believe them; while other promises require that we meet certain conditions. In meeting these conditions, we’re not earning God’s blessing; we’re making sure our hearts are ready for God’s blessing (Be Strong, pp. 48).

In this context, they were to separate themselves from the things that were unclean and common. Consecration before a major event was not unusual in the Old Testament, especially when God was going to reveal Himself in a special way (Exodus 19). In fact, if the experience of Israel at Mt. Sinai is the pattern, then the consecration process would include, washing oneself, changing one’s cloths, and abstaining from sexual relations (Exodus 19:10-15).

In the Bible the imagery of washing one’s body and changing clothes symbolized making a new beginning with the Lord. Since sin is pictured as defilement (Ps. 51:2, 7), God has to cleanse us before we can truly follow Him. When Jacob made a new beginning with the Lord and returned to Bethel, he and his family washed themselves and changed their garments (Gen. 35:1-3). After King David confessed his sin, he bathed, changed clothes, and worshiped the Lord (2 Sam. 12:20) (Be Strong, pp. 48).

To the priests his instruction was very simple, Prepare to do your job!

6 And Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, "Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over ahead of the people." So they took up the ark of the covenant and went ahead of the people.

Interestingly, the text does not indicate that the priests new exactly what was going to happen. They only knew that the next day the Lord was going to do wonders among them. For them to lead the way with the ark they too needed some faith and courage. No doubt Joshua instilled both in them, although we are not told so in the text.

The Lord Instructs Joshua – v.7-8

This purpose for this step in the instruction process is confirmation.

7 Now the LORD said to Joshua, "This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you.

Verse 7 is a confirmation of God’s promise given in Joshua 1:5, 17. God’s presence with Joshua was important because it not only encouraged Joshua, but it validated His leadership and confirmed him as God’s man. Just as God confirmed Moses’ leadership through the miracle at the Red Sea, so too will He confirm Joshua’s leadership at the Jordan River.

It is interesting that God exalts Joshua through this miracle, even though Joshua is not directly involved in the miracle, except in giving the instructions. In addition, the purpose of exalting Joshua was not for Joshua’s sake only, rather, that they may know, which has the idea of “so that” they may know (which indicates purpose). The “they” refers to the children of Israel. What is it that the Lord wanted them to know? Just as He had been with Moses, He would be with Joshua.

This is fulfilled in Joshua 4:14
14 On that day the LORD exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; so that they revered him, just as they had revered Moses all the days of his life.

Verse 8 basically picks up where verse 6 left off.

8 "You shall, moreover, command the priests who are carrying the ark of the covenant, saying, 'When you come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.'"

In verse 6 the priests are told to take up the ark and go before the people. In verse 8 they are told to go to the banks of the Jordan and get ready to step in the water.

Joshua Instructs All of the People – v.9-13

The purpose of this step in the instruction process is for explanation and exhortation. Joshua is now going to explain what God is going to do to get them across the Jordan (passed the obstacle). Notice that he makes it clear that what he is about to say is not from him, but from the Lord.

9 Then Joshua said to the sons of Israel, "Come here, and hear the words of the LORD your God."

What the Lord was going to do, He was going to do so that Israel would know that the living God was among them and that He will, without fail, drive out from before them the inhabitants of Canaan.

10 And Joshua said, "By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will assuredly dispossess from before you the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Hivite, the Perizzite, the Girgashite, the Amorite, and the Jebusite.

In verse 10 we have already the third use of the word “know” (v.4, 7, 10) in this chapter. The Lord really wanted to assure the people that everything was going to be okay. He wanted them to “know” it as a fact.

By using the term “the living God” Joshua was reminding them that their God was unique, not like the pagan gods of the people they were going to encounter on the other side (Psalm 115:3-7). This living God was not off in some distant, unreachable place, but He was “among” them. The living God’s eviction of the inhabitants on the other side was going to be no contest because as Joshua says, He will assuredly dispossess from before you the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Hivite, the Perizzite, the Girgashite, the Amorite, and the Jebusite.

Here seven different inhabitants of the land of Canaan are mentioned, but as we will find out there will be more than that evicted (Joshua 9:1; 11:3; 12:8; 24:11). Seven are listed here, probably as a sign of completeness. In other words, God’s promise of help was a comprehensive promise.

Who are these seven groups of people that are mentioned here? We will talk about them more as we make our way through this book, but I want to briefly highlight each group.

The Canaanites – Sometimes the term Canaanite is used as an all inclusive term to refer any people living in Canaan regardless of their ethnic identity. However here and in other places (Joshua 7:9; Judges 1:27-29) it refers to a specific group of people in Canaan. These people were the descendants of Canaan the son of Ham (Genesis 10:15-19). They were a Semitic people that normally lived along the coastline of Phoenicia.

The Hittites – These were probably migrants from the Hittite Empire in Asia Minor. Here in Joshua it is apparent that they resided in the hill country of Canaan, especially in the northeast area near Syria (Joshua 11:3).

The Hivites – They appear to have lived in the mountainous region in what is today Lebanon (Joshua 11:3; Judges 3:3).

The Perizzites – They appear to have lived in the forested areas of central Palestine and the highlands of Samaria (Joshua 17:15; Genesis 13:7).

The Girgashites – No one knows for sure the exact area in which these people lived.

The Amorites – Like the term Canaanite, the term Amorite was also used in an all inclusive manner. Likewise, it also can refer to a specific group of people. Next to the Hittites, the Amorites were possibly the most powerful group of people in Palestine. Yet, Israel had already defeated this group of people who lived in the Transjordan area (Numbers 21:21-35; Joshua 2:10). If you remember, the 2 1/2 tribes had already been granted the privilege of living in that conquered area (Numbers 32:1-27; Joshua 1:13-15). The mention of this group here reinforces the idea that the writer is giving this list of seven names as sign of completeness.

The Jebusites – They are mainly known because they inhabited what we now know as Jerusalem (Joshua 15:8; 18:28; see also
1 Chronicles 11:4-9). Jerusalem was previously known as “Jebus” (2 Samuel 5:6-10).

In this list we seem to have the whole area of Palestine covered.

· Northwest – Girgashites?
· North – Hivites
· Northeast – Hittites and Amorites
· South, Southwest – Jebusites
· Southeast, East – Amorites
· Central Coast – Canaanites
· Central Palestine – Perzzites

(Much of this information came from David M. Howard; NAC Commentary: Joshua; pp. 126-127)

In verse 11 the writer places our focus directly on the authority of God. Why does God have the right to lead Israel across the Jordan so that they can drive out the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites? Because He is the Lord of all the earth!

11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing over ahead of you into the Jordan.

The word Lord here is not Yahweh, but Adonai which means ruler or owner. Because He is Lord, ruler, owner of all the earth, He has the sovereign right to give the land to whom He chooses.

How would they know He would do this? Behold, the ark of the covenant……. is crossing over ahead of you. Joshua says to the people “Look (behold), focus your attention on the ark, the symbol of God’s presence, and He will lead passed this obstacle.”

12 Now then, take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man for each tribe.

Verse 12 is a detail that the writer adds to create suspense for what will happen later in v.4:2-9.

13 And it shall come about when the soles of the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off, and the waters which are flowing down from above shall stand in one heap."

Finally, in verse 13 Joshua gets around to explaining how the miracle is going to happen. The entire chapter has been building to this point and it is fleshed out a little more in v.14-17 (next week).

What can we learn from this passage? The main thing we can take away from this passage is that there is way to face obstacles that come our way and there is a way for us to move forward by faith.

In order for us to move forward passed our obstacles we should do four things.

(1) Focus on God’s Presence

Paul asked the rhetorical question in Romans 8:31

31…….If God is for us, who is against us?
There is no obstacle that confronts us that is insurmountable with the Lord’s help! How many times have I heard someone say, “But Pastor Jim, I can’t”……and they are right, we can’t, but God can. He can work through us and through our circumstances to accomplish what we could never accomplish on our own.

Philippians 4:13
13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

He may not obliterate our obstacle rather, He may lead us on a new path we have never been on or used before. He may even require that we walk right up to the obstacle and dip our feet in the water. The key is keeping our eyes fixed on Him.

Hebrews 12:1-2
1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

(2) Focus on our own Preparation

It might be that the obstacle cannot be overcome because our own hearts are not right. Israel was told to “consecrate yourselves” so that they would not stand in the way of God working. It could be that we fail to focus on His presence because we have not prepared ourselves to even see or expect His help. It may be that we have not shed those encumbrances that hinder us.

(3) Focus on God’s Promises

God promised Israel this land, and His promises never fail. He promised Joshua that He was going to exalt him before the people, and that He was doing.

2 Peter 1:4
4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them you might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.

God has promised to never leave us nor forsake us….the same promise He gave to Joshua (Josh. 1:5).

Hebrews 13:5-6
5 Let your character be free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you," 6 so that we confidently say,
"The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid.
What shall man do to me?"

(4) Focus on God’s Power

He is the “living God” and He dwells among His people. He can move our obstacles if we will trust Him.

A SPY STORY PT.2 - JOSHUA 2:14-24

2006-06-22T14:26:00.000-07:00

Everyone loves a good story, especially one which has all the elements of intrigue, suspense, mystery, interesting characters, redemption and a happy ending. All of these elements can be found in the story of the two spies and Rahab the Harlot.

The last time we met we noted that there are five chapters to this great story found in Joshua chapter 2. We looked at the first three chapters then.

Chapter 1 – The Commission of the Spies – v.1
Chapter 2 – The Concealment of the Spies – v.2-7
Chapter 3 – The Confession of Rahab’s Faith – v.8-14

In her confession she revealed the depth of her amazing faith acknowledging a conviction about God’s purposes (v.9b), God’s power (v.10-11a), God’s sovereignty (v.11b), and God’s mercy (v.12-13).

In the midst of her pagan environment and in the midst of this gracious light that she had received, she believed and then acted on her faith (Hebrews 11:31).

31 By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace.

What were the others disobedient to? The light they had been given. She was obedient and they were not. This is always how it works with the light of the truth. Some respond, most do not. “Many are called but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14).

Rahab stands out as a shining example of what happens to those who come to God by grace through faith. This pagan woman is mentioned three times (Mt. 1:5; Heb. 11:31; James 2:25) in the New Testament, each time she is portrayed in a positive light, as a beneficiary of God’s grace (Ephesians 2:4-7).

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
She also stands out as an example of the outworking of the Abrahamic Covenant in Genesis 12:1-3.

1 Now the LORD said to Abram,
"Go forth from your country,
And from your relatives
And from your father's house,
To the land which I will show you;
2 And I will make you a great nation,
And I will bless you,
And make your name great;
And so you shall be a blessing;
3 And I will bless those who bless you,
And the one who curses you I will curse.
And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. "
We also should mention Rahab’s evangelistic concern for her family. She could have easily asked the spies to take her with them. After all, she would now be suspect in the eyes of the King of Jericho and others. Instead, her first concern was for her family (Joshua 2:12-13).

12 Now therefore, please swear to me by the LORD, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father's household, and give me a pledge of truth, 13 and spare my father and my mother and my brothers and my sisters, with all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death."
The pledge of truth that she asks for was in essence a “truth token,” a sign of some kind that would assure her that she and her family would be spared. This, the spies willingly give her (v.14).

14 So the men said to her, "Our life for yours if you do not tell this business of ours; and it shall come about when the LORD gives us the land that we will deal kindly and faithfully with you."

Chapter 4 – The Conditions of Deliverance – v.15-21
15 Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall, so that she was living on the wall. 16 And she said to them, "Go to the hill country, lest the pursuers happen upon you, and hide yourselves there for three days, until the pursuers return. Then afterward you may go on your way." NAS

In this chapter we pick up the action again as Rahab lets the spies down by a rope through a window on the wall.

David M Howard writes,

The exact nature of Rahab’s house is unclear. Some Bible versions place her house “on” the wall (e.g., KJV, NASB), but the Hebrew preposition here is b-, which is the normal word for “in.” Two different words for “wall” are used here as well; the phrase here might be rendered as “in the double walls.” This would call to mind the defensive fortifications found in many cities in biblical times, called “casemate” walls, in which a double wall was erected, with the cross-walls built to create chambers that were then filled with rubble for strengthening, or else made into storage areas or living quarters. Rahab’s family may have lived in one of these residences, although her window must have been rather high, since she let the spies down using a rope. Perhaps the house was indeed atop the wall, but built “into” the wall in such a way that it was considered an integral part of it. The NRSV renders v.15b as “her house was on the outer side of the city wall and she resided within the wall itself,” while the NJPSV’s translation is essentially the same. The NIV’s “the house she lived in was part of the wall” would allow for any of the above possibilities (Joshua, NAC, pp. 113-114).

In any event, she instructed the spies to go in a different direction from the posse and then hide for three days before they returned to Israel’s camp.

Verses 17-21 resume and enlarge the conversation that began in verses 12-14, by laying down three conditions for Rahab and her family’s deliverance. The spies make it clear to her that if she and her family do not keep these conditions, they (the spies) would be free from their oath.

17 And the men said to her, "We shall be free from this oath to you which you have made us swear,
Condition #1 – Involved placing a scarlet cord in her window – v.18a
18 unless, when we come into the land, you tie this cord of scarlet thread in the window through which you let us down,
The scarlet cord was to be a sign meant to identify her house to the invading Israelites when they came to take the city. Much has been made about the color of the cord and how it is a type of the blood of Christ. Many early church fathers understood the “scarlet cord” to be a picture of the work of Christ on the believer’s behalf. However, the better symbolism here is not of the cross but of the Passover (Exodus 12:1-13; 22-23). Warren Wiersbe writes,

Just as the blood on the doorposts in Egypt marked a house that the angel of death was to pass over….so the scarlet rope marked a house on the Jericho wall whose occupants the Jewish soldiers were to protect (Be Strong, pp. 42).

This symbolism becomes even clearer when you look at the second condition that the spies give.

Condition #2 – Involved making every member of the family stay inside her house while the attack was ongoing – v.18b-19
and gather to yourself into the house your father and your mother and your brothers and all your father's household. 19 And it shall come about that anyone who goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we shall be free; but anyone who is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if a hand is laid on him.
Both with Israel during Passover and Rahab’s family during the attack, no one was allowed to venture outside of the home for any reason (Exodus 12:22). In both cases faith was to be expressed through their obedience to this condition and in both cases the consequences for disobedience would be serious.

Condition #3 – Involved keeping the spies’ plans secret – v.20
20 But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be free from the oath which you have made us swear."
This third condition is really a reinforcement of the instructions given to Rahab in verse 14.

In verse 21 Rahab accepts the conditions that had bee given her and notice her immediate faith and obedience,

21 And she said, "According to your words, so be it." So she sent them away, and they departed; and she tied the scarlet cord in the window.
Chapter 5 – The Conclusion of the Mission – v.22-24

22 And they departed and came to the hill country, and remained there for three days until the pursuers returned. Now the pursuers had sought them all along the road, but had not found them. 23 Then the two men returned and came down from the hill country and crossed over and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and they related to him all that had happened to them.

After three days the spies returned to camp and reported to Joshua what they had discovered. And they concluded their report with these encouraging words,

24 And they said to Joshua, "Surely the LORD has given all the land into our hands, and all the inhabitants of the land, moreover, have melted away before us."

What a difference we see between this report and the one that the ten spies had related to Moses and the people at Kadesh-Barnea (Numbers 13:27-29; 31-33). Think of all that Israel missed out on in those forty years of wandering all because of unbelief!

As we close this story we want to, by way of application, ask the question, why? Why is this story in the Bible? What was God trying to say and do by including it in Scripture? Three purposes come to mind.

(1) The story served to encourage Israel

If you recall, Joshua 1 was all about encouragement.

· God encouraging Joshua – v.1-9
· Joshua encouraging the people – v.10-15
· The people encouraging Joshua – v.16-18

Everyone needed encouraging because the task before them was daunting. They were to go in and take the land, no easy task. God wanted them to know that he was going to give them the land and victory would be theirs. In the story of the two spies and Rahab God is giving them more encouragement.

Joshua 2 is an encouragement from God to the people. Note again Rahab’s words to the spies in verse 9-11.

9 and said to the men, "I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before you. 10 For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. 11 And when we heard it, our hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you; for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.
Dale Ralph Davis writes,

Someone might say that they should have been certain of the promise without this extra encouragement. True, Yahweh’s word is adequate in itself. The problem, however, is not that Yahweh’s promises are not sure but that we need to feel sure of them. His word should be sufficient to bolster us. But because of the weakness of our faith, he graciously stoops down and by a plethora of signs, evidences, and providences makes us feel assured of his already sure word. It is something like a husband who sends a card or note through the mail to his wife telling her how much she means to him. She shouldn’t need that to know that he loves her, but it is an extra effort that makes her feel loved and appreciated. So Yahweh understands our needs (No Falling Words, pp. 28).

This is why the Old Testament is so important to us, it spreads the encouragement around.

Romans 15:4
4 For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
The passage in Romans is a parallel passage to Joshua 1-2 in that it talks about mutual encouragement and mutual edification.

(2) The story signals the excellencies of God’s Grace

Here we have a story of a woman who was both a harlot and a heathen, living in the midst of a pagan culture, who is rescued by the grace of God. Her experience is proof of the gracious saving purposes of God.

God’s over-arching decree is repeated for us both in the Old and New Testaments.

Joel 2:32
32 "And it will come about that whoever calls on the name of the LORD
Will be delivered;
For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem
There will be those who escape,
As the LORD has said,
Even among the survivors whom the LORD calls.
Romans 10:13
13 for "Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved."
Rahab believed God and turned to Him for deliverance and God graciously saved her, physically and most importantly, spiritually.

As I mentioned last time, there is a great postlude, if you will, to this story.

Joshua 6:22-25
22 And Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, "Go into the harlot's house and bring the woman and all she has out of there, as you have sworn to her." 23 So the young men who were spies went in and brought out Rahab and her father and her mother and her brothers and all she had; they also brought out all her relatives, and placed them outside the camp of Israel. 24 And they burned the city with fire, and all that was in it. Only the silver and gold and articles of bronze and iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD. 25 However, Rahab the harlot and her father's household and all she had, Joshua spared; and she has lived in the midst of Israel to this day, for she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

If this story does not signal the Excellency of God’s grace – nothing will.

As Dale Ralph Davis points out, there is also a lesson within a lesson here in this story about our attitudes toward those who are outsiders.

Now that can be offensive. We say we can’t have that; the church is only for respectable, clean, middle-class folks. But that is like saying that hospitals are only for doctors, nurses, and x-ray machines instead of sick people. Or it is like saying that only morticians and coroners belong in morgues instead of dead people. Who then should be in the church but sinners? The church is not a club but a refuge for sinners who have been touched by the grace of God (No Falling Words pp. 29).
(3) The story shows us the evidences of real faith

True saving faith cannot be hidden for long! Real faith is a conspicuous faith. It is a faith that is visible and easy to see. Such was the case with Rahab’s faith. Her faith illustrates for us four aspects or evidences of real faith.

Þ Evidence #1 – Courageous Works

James makes the connection between faith and works in his epistle (James 2:25-26). James uses Rahab as an example of this truth.

25 And in the same way was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works, when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
How did Rahab demonstrate her faith? She did it by risking her life to protect the spies.

We are not saved by works but we are saved unto Good works (Ephesians 2:10).

10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
If there is no fruit in your life, then you need to check your faith.

Þ Evidence #2 – Confident Confession

Faith is only as good as its object. Most people today really have faith in faith, which is nothing more than superstition and mysticism. Rahab’s faith was in the God of Israel, the LORD, Jehovah, Yahweh, the I AM. Her faith was in the God who miraculously parted the waters of the Red Sea and helped Israel defeat the powerful Amorite Kings Sihon and Og (v.10). Her faith was in the Sovereign of Heaven and Earth (v.11) and the God who is infinitely merciful (v.12).

The great thing about Rahab’s faith is that she was not ashamed to confess this God as LORD. Real faith is not ashamed to declare the praises and promises of God (Matthew 10:32-33; Romans 10:9-10).

Þ Evidence #3 – Compassionate Concern for Others

Once Rahab personally experienced the grace and mercy of God, she became burdened for her family as well. This is often a pattern we see in Scripture in regard to real faith. After Andrew met Jesus Christ he went and shared the good news with his brother Simon and brought him to Jesus (John 1:35-42). The cleansed leper went home and immediately told everyone what Jesus had done for him (Mark 1:40-45). The writer of Proverbs (11:30) said,

30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
And he who is wise wins souls.
Evidence #4 – Commitment and Change

The story tells us that Rahab immediately put the scarlet cord in the window and that she immediately obeyed the instructions given to her by the spies. She took great risk in doing what they instructed her to do. What if someone saw the scarlet cord? What if one her relatives reported to the king what she was doing? It didn’t matter because she was committed to this new life for her and her family.

2 Corinthians 5:17
17 Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
Is there evidence of real faith in your life? Is your life marked by….

Courageous works?
Confident confession?
Compassionate concern?
Commitment and change?

A SPY STORY PT.1 - JOSHUA 2:1-13

2006-06-19T14:13:00.000-07:00

In studying the life of Joshua as he led the children of Israel into Canaan to conquer the land,some of the greatest spiritual lessons we can learn revolve around people who crossed his path. Such is the case with Rahab. No woman in all of Scripture stands out more boldly on the pages of Scripture as an object of God’s redeeming grace. In fact, she is mentioned in Hebrews 11 – the Old Testament hall of faith. Such greats as Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph and Moses are listed there. And all are commended for their faith. And somewhat surprising, here is where we find the name of “Rahab the harlot.” Of her it is said: “By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she welcomed the spies in peace” (Heb. 11:31). (Gene A. Getz, Joshua: Defeat to Victory, pp. 42)

How did a harlot find her way into the Old Testament hall of faith?

Joshua 2 tells us how. The story in Joshua 2 is interesting because it is really two stories woven together into one. On the one hand it is a spy story involving suspense and intrigue – beginning that way and ending that way. On the other hand it is the story of a “shady lady” and her attempt to save her family from the coming judgment of God. In it we are amazed at the depth of her faith given her limited knowledge.

As with any good story there is more than one chapter to it and the story line continues to build as the plot thickens. As we look at this story we will see five chapters unfold with each chapter building the story line.

Chapter 1 – The Commission of the Spies – v.1

Joshua 2:1
1 Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men as spies secretly from Shittim, saying, "Go, view the land, especially Jericho." So they went and came into the house of a harlot whose name was Rahab, and lodged there. NAS

While Joshua had utter confidence in God to lead Israel to victory, as shown in his charge to the people, it did not mean that they would simply lay down their arms and watch God work. Even when God brought down the walls of Jericho in Joshua 6, the people still had to go in and defeat the inhabitants and destroy the city.

To spy out the land was not to doubt God rather it was to fulfill the obligation of a wise military strategist. So here in verse 1 we are first introduced to the spies. There are several things about this spy mission that we need to note…..

Note the number of the spies – “Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men”

Gene Getz comments,

Interestingly, Joshua sent only two spies, perhaps a reflection of his own experience as a spy years earlier when he was sent as one of 12. Only he and Caleb returned with a positive report. The other 10 were negative and infected the whole nation of Israel with pessimistic attitudes, causing them to sin against God. They did not believe that God would enable them to conquer the land. Consequently God made them wander in the wilderness for 40 years. Joshua was taking no chances this time. He was highly selective! Two would do—two men in whom he had confidence to give him an accurate report of the situation, who would not be intimidated by the enemy’s military strength and their large “fortified cities” (Num. 13:28) (Joshua: Defeat to Victory, pp. 43).

This is a good reminder that we need to be careful when choosing people for ministry service. We want people who are going to be honest but positive.

Note Israel’s current location – “from Shittim”

“Shittim” literally means Acacia Grove. The Acacia Grove was only fourteen miles from Jericho, and seven miles from the Jordan River. It lay in the foothills on the eastern edge of the Jordan Valley and is referred to as Abel Shittim in Numbers 33:49. Abel Shittim means stream of the acacia trees. It was an ideal place for Israel to encamp while waiting for the return of the spies. (Paul Enns, Joshua: Bible Study Commentary, pp. 28)

Note how the spies were sent out – “sent two men as spies
secretly”

Isn’t a spy mission by its very nature supposed to be secret? So, why is it mentioned here and who was this mission to be kept secret from? The answer has to be Israel – Joshua wanted to avoid a situation like he experienced in Numbers 13-14. He wanted to avoid another opportunity for a mass rebellion or a pity party.

Sometimes leaders must be discerning about whom they share their plans with. Information needs to get out to the right way through the right people.

Note where they were to go and what they were to do – “saying, ‘Go, view the land, especially Jericho’”

The location of Jericho was strategic; the city had an abundant water supply and it lay in a valley that served as a main entrance into the land. It was the critical first link in conquering the land.

Irving L Jensen says,

Joshua’s special interest in Jericho reveals his wisdom as a military strategist. A study of a topographical map of Canaan discloses the excellent location of Jericho as a bridgehead for all subsequent advances to the west, south, and north. Jericho was located on a large fertile plain at the foot of the Judean hills and at the entrance to one of their passageways. Here also was
ample camping ground for the nonmilitary Israelite hosts while the warriors were off to battle. To the general of the army of Israel, the conquest of Canaan depended on gaining the bridgehead of Jericho (Joshua: Rest-Land Won, pp. 37).

Note where they ended up – “So they went and came into the house of a harlot whose name was Rahab, and lodged there”

There have been several attempts over the years to make Rahab more palatable to Bible students by suggesting that rather than a harlot she was an inn-keeper. Interestingly, the Hebrew word for harlot can mean one who keeps an inn. However, when you look at Rahab in the New Testament it is made clear there that she was a prostitute. Both in Hebrews 11:31 and James 2:25 the writers use a Greek word that definitely means harlot / prostitute.

Why would these spies lodge in the house of a harlot? Three reasons come to mind,

(1) Because many foreigners lodged in these kinds of places they would attract very little attention.
(2) Because Rahab’s house was located on the wall of the city it would afford them an easy way to escape (v.15).
(3) The providence of God led them there.

Rahab was the only person in Jericho who trusted and believed in the God of Israel.

It’s remarkable how God in His grace uses people we might think could never become His servants. “But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence” (1 Cor. 1:27-29, NKJV). Jesus was the “friend of publicans and sinners” (Luke 7:34), and He wasn’t ashamed to have a former prostitute in His family tree! (Warren Wiersbe, Be Strong, pp. 36)

Rahab evidenced her faith by taking-in these men and then later assisting them in fleeing from their pursuers.

Chapter 2 – The Concealment of the Spies – v.2-7
Joshua 2:2
2 And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, "Behold, men from the sons of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land." NAS

It would seem likely that the King of Jericho was aware that Israel was encamped only 14 miles from his city. And it is even more likely that he had his own spies watching the encampment. When he heard that two men from Israel had entered his city, he naturally became concerned.

FYI – Kings and City-States

Like other Canaanite kings this king was the ruler of a city-state not an extensive land area. These kind of independent city-states were common at that time and it was this individualism and lack of political unity that would bring about or hasten the fall of Canaan to Israel.

Joshua 2:3-4a
3 And the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab, saying, "Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered your house, for they have come to search out all the land." 4 But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them, NAS

The king’s spies informed him that the Israeli spies had gone into the house of Rahab the harlot. In turn, he sent his representatives to Rahab’s house to demand that she turn over the Israeli spies. However, in a bold act of faith Rahab had taken the men to her roof and hidden them under stalks of flax.

Joshua 2:4b-7
and she said, "Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. 5 And it came about when it was time to shut the gate, at dark, that the men went out; I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them." 6 But she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them in the stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof. 7 So the men pursued them on the road to the Jordan to the fords; and as soon as those who were pursuing them had gone out, they shut the gate. NAS

What Rahab says in response to the king’s request has sparked a great deal of debate among Bible scholars because of the ethical issues that it raises. There can be no debate about the fact that she lied and that she lied to protect the spies. What we end up having is a conflict between absolute principles, the principle of saving innocent lives and the principle of not lying. Was her lie justified because she was trying to save their lives? In this case does the end justify the means?

There have been many different answers to those questions. As much as I would love to spend the time discussing all of the various views concerning Rahab’s lie I will have to settle for a brief summary of the issues with the following points (David M. Howard has an excellent discussion of the issues in his excursus on Rahab’s lie in his commentary on Joshua pp. 106-112).

First, both the Old and New Testaments condemn the act of lying (Exodus 20:16; 23:1; Eph. 4:25). Lying is always considered a sin in Scripture.

Proverbs 12:22
22 Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD,
But those who deal faithfully are His delight.NAS

Second, remember that Rahab had grown up in a pagan culture where lying, cheating and all kinds of immorality were apart of her everyday culture. This is not to say that lying was acceptable in her case but it simply means that Rahab was acting according to the light that she had.

Third, Rahab is commended in the New Testament for her faith, not for her act of lying. In Hebrews she is commended for receiving the spies with peace (11:31). In James she is commended for receiving the messengers and assisting them in getting out of the city (2:25).
Rahab was saved in spite of her lie, not because of it.

As Irving L. Jensen says,

The commendation of Rahab’s words…..is not a commendation of the lie which she adopted in the weakness of her flesh (and not beyond the scope of God’s forgiveness), but of the selfless act of doing something to help God’s cause in defiance of her own national ties (Joshua: Rest-Land Won, pp. 38).

Fourth, God is omnipotent and He could have protected the spies even if Rahab had told the truth. The events recorded in Daniel 3:17-18 prove this point.

Fifth, when in a situation where there appears to be a conflict in biblical principles there will undoubtedly be a third way so that we can avoid sinning

1 Corinthians 10:13
13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it. NAS

In Romans 3:7-8 Paul rejects the “ends justifies the means argument.”

7 But if through my lie the truth of God abounded to His glory, why am I also still being judged as a sinner? 8 And why not say (as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say), "Let us do evil that good may come"? Their condemnation is just. NAS

So in Rahab’s case, she should not have lied but instead trusted God to provide her with another way to protect the spies without sinning.

David M. Howard summarizes his thoughts this way,

Thus, in evaluating Rahab, we must render a mixed verdict, one that condemns her lie and momentary lack of trust in God, but one that commends her faith, both in deed and in word. As Calvin stated, “those who hold what is called a dutiful lie to be altogether excusable, do not sufficiently consider how precious truth is in the sight of God. Therefore, although our purpose be to assist our brethren, to consult for their safety and relieve them, it never can be lawful to lie, because that cannot be right which is contrary to the nature of God. And God is truth. And still the act of Rahab is not devoid of the praise of virtue, although it is not spotlessly pure. For it often happens that while the saints study to hold the right path, they deviate into circuitous courses (Joshua: NAC, pp. 112).

Now, we must keep the focus of the passage on Rahab’s faith not on her lie. As Dale Ralph Davis says,

It is tragic when people snag their pants on the nail of Rahab’s lie, quibble endlessly about the matter and never get around to hearing Rahab’s truth. (No Falling Words, pp. 26)

Chapter 3 – The Confession of Rahab’s Faith – v.8-14
It is evident by what Rahab is about to say that she had already put her faith in God (even before the Israeli spies arrived). After sending the King’s men away she goes up to the roof of her house and makes a great confession that gives insight into what brought her to a place of faith in God.

Joshua 2:8-9a
8 Now before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof, 9 and said to the men, NAS

Note the phrase “I know” it speaks of a settled conviction. In her confession she reveals a settled conviction about four things.

(1) She was convinced of God’s purposes – v.9b

"I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before you. NAS

One of the great purposes of the Exodus had been to make God’s plans for Israel known to all (Exodus 15:14-17; Deut. 2:25). Not only was Rahab way ahead of the rest of the Canaanites in figuring this out but as Gene Getz says,

In many respects Rahab was already way ahead of many of the children of Israel. Their light was far greater. They had experientially seen miracle after miracle; wheras Rahab had only heard about them. The children of Israel had received the law of God by means of direct revelation to Moses; whereas Rahab had only heard indirectly about God’s will. Even with all this light, Israel turned their backs on God again and again, indulging in horrible sins. It appears that God was giving greater attention to Rahab’s faith. Why? Because she was more faithful to the light she had—dim as it was. Compared to Israel, her faith was greater. And she proved it by risking her life for the people of God. In this case, God looked beyond her human weakness and saw where she was coming from, and where she was heading (Joshua: Defeat to Victory, pp. 45).

(2) She was convinced of God’s power – v.10-11a

Joshua 2:10-12
10 For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. 11 And when we heard it, our hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you; NAS

In revealing her conviction about God’s power she cited two particular events that she and the other Canaanites had heard about. (1) The drying up of the Red Sea – v.10a (Exodus 14:21-31). (2) The Victory over the two Amorite Kings Sihon and Og – v.10b (Numbers 21:21-35) *Note the phrase “whom you utterly destroyed.”

When the residents of Jericho heard about the defeat of the Amorite Kings, their “hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you.”

(3) She was convinced of God’s Sovereignty – v.11b

“for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.”

This is an amazing statement from a pagan woman! Her faith was not in some generic god, but in a specific God. She used the term LORD (yhwh) Jehovah, the “I AM” of Exodus 3:14-15.

According to Wiersbe, in her statement she acknowledged that,

She believed in one God, not in a multitude of gods that populated the heathen temples. She believed He was a personal God (“Your God”) who would work on behalf of those who trusted Him. She believed He was the God of Israel, who would give the land to His people. This God whom she trusted was not limited to one nation or one land, but was the God of heaven and earth. Rahab believed in a great and awesome God! (Be Strong, pp. 39)

(4) She was convinced of God’s Mercy – v.12-13

12 Now therefore, please swear to me by the LORD, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father's household, and give me a pledge of truth, 13 and spare my father and my mother and my brothers and my sisters, with all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death. "
Genuine faith never rests in the conviction of the reality of God but presses on to take refuge in the mercy of God. What is so interesting about Rahab’s confession of faith is that throughout she uses plural terms “we”, “our”, and “us.” This indicates that the King of Jericho and others knew all that she knew, but she was the only one who turned to the God of Israel for mercy. The light that she was given drove her to beg for mercy. The light that the others were given drove them into stubborn rebellion and eternal destruction. The writer of Hebrews touches on this truth (Hebrews 11:31).

31 By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace. NAS

Such is the case with those who hear and do not believe. They are disobedient to the light of the truth.

Rahab’s conversion was truly an act of God’s grace. Like all citizens of Canaan, Rahab was under condemnation and destined to die. God commanded the Jews to “utterly destroy them” and show them no mercy (Deut. 7:1-3). Rahab was a Gentile, outside the covenant of mercies shown to Israel (Eph. 2:11-13). She didn’t deserve to be saved, but God had mercy on her. If ever a sinner experienced Ephesians 2:1-10, it was Rahab! (Be Strong pp. 40)

As Gentiles, we too were once as Rahab was, yet God’s mercy found us as well. Aren’t you thankful for God’s grace?

3 For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. 4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that being justified by His grace we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:3-7 NAS

MUTUAL ENCOURAGEMENT - JOSHUA 1:10-18

2006-06-15T15:43:00.000-07:00

In his book on “Spiritual Leadership,” J. Oswald Sanders says,

Leadership is influence, the ability of one person to influence others to follow his or her lead. Famous leaders have always known this.

The great military leader Bernard Montgomery spoke of leadership in these terms: “Leadership is the capacity and will to rally men and women to a common purpose, and the character which inspires confidence.” An outstanding example of this statement was Sir Winston Churchill….

Fleet Admiral Nimitz said: “Leadership may be defined as that quality that inspires sufficient confidence in subordinates as to be willing to accept his views and carry out his commands.”

General Charles Gordon once asked Li Hung Chang, a leader in China, two questions: “What is leadership? And how is humanity divided?” Li Hung replied: “There are only three kinds of people – those who are immovable, those who are movable and those who move them!”

John R. Mott, a world leader in student circles, believed that “a leader is a man who knows the road, who can keep ahead, and who pulls others after him.”

President Harry S. Truman (1945-53) said cogently: “A leader is a person who has the ability to get others to do what they don’t want to do, and like it.” (Spiritual Leadership, pp. 27-28)

Joshua was God’s chosen man to succeed Moses and to lead the children of Israel into the Promised Land. His task would be to rally the people to his side, then to move them out into this new endeavor. To take the immovable, make them movable, and then move them! This of course would not be an easy task and he knew it.

As he thought of the responsibility and the enormity of the task – he must have wondered if he was the right man for the job and had the right stuff to be the leader of this rag-tag group of people.

Knowing what Joshua was thinking and that Joshua needed to be encouraged, the Lord gives Joshua a pep talk if you will. A “pep talk” recorded for us in Joshua 1:1-9. This pep talk was intended to encourage and reassure Joshua, to let him know that he was indeed the right man for the job.

In His pep talk, the Lord did two things, first, He reaffirmed His promises (v.2-6) – the promise of the land, the promise of victory, the promise of presence and protection, and the promise of possession – second, He revealed to Joshua the key to success (v.7-9). The key to success would be obedience to the word.

Now as we approach v.10-18 it is Joshua’s turn to do some encouraging, to give a pep talk. Just as there was uncertainty with Joshua, there was uncertainty with the people, they needed to be reassured and encouraged as well. Joshua directs his charge / words of encouragement to two specific groups of people, (1) The Nation’s Elders; (2) The tribes of Rueben, Gad and half tribe of Manasseh.

Joshua’s Charge to the Elders – v.10-11

This charge is a charge to prepare.

Joshua 1:10-11
10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, 11 "Pass through the midst of the camp and command the people, saying, 'Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you are to cross this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the LORD your God is giving you, to possess it.'" NAS

The word “then” connects this passage to the previous passage. In other words, after Joshua was encouraged by the Lord, he immediately went out to encourage the people.

The phrase officers of the people, is a reference to the civilian leaders i.e. the elders. We first meet these men in Exodus 18:13-27. Soon after leaving Egypt, Moses found himself spending all of his time and energy, judging disputes, explaining God’s law and mediating between God and the people.

His father-in-law Jethro arrived with Moses’ wife and sons and immediately recognized that there was a potential problem (18:13-18). Moses was in danger of wearing himself out because of the system and structure that was in place. So Jethro suggested that Moses select several special men to assist him in ministering to the people (18:19-27).

These were not to be just any men, but specially qualified men (18:21). They were to be,

o able men (skilled)
o men who fear God (spiritual)
o men of truth (scriptural)
o those who hate dishonest gain (separated)

In Numbers 11:16-17 the Lord Himself confirmed the use of this type of leadership structure.

Numbers 11:16-17
16 The LORD therefore said to Moses, "Gather for Me seventy men from the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and their officers and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. 17 Then I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take of the Spirit who is upon you, and will put Him upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you shall not bear it all alone. NAS

Notice how these men were to help Moses bear the burden of the people so that Moses did not have to bear it all alone (v.17). In the same way the “officers of the people” were to assist Joshua in preparing and leading the people into the Promised Land (some have suggested that there were upwards of two million Israelites by now).

Joshua needed help in encouraging the people so he speaks to the officers and then the officers are to speak to the people. In fact notice that in……

o v.9 – God instructs Joshua
o v.10 – Joshua instructs the officers
o v.11 – The officers are to instruct the people

What are the officers to encourage the people to do? Prepare themselves for the crossing of the Jordan River and then into the land to possess it. Specifically, they were to prepare provisions for yourselves which no doubt included food and the other daily necessities of life.

In modern armies the quartermaster corps sees to it that each soldier has the necessary provisions, but with Israel, each family and clan had to provide for those things. Remember that the manna is still falling and would continue to do so until Israel was in the land and able to live off the fruit of the land (Joshua 5:10-12). Until then they had to be prepared.

“for within three days you are to cross this Jordan, to go in to possess the land”

The phrase, “within three days” has been problematic for some because it appears that it actually took about six day to cross the Jordan (Joshua 2:22; 3:2). Several attempts have been made to solve this seeming discrepancy.

Some have argued that the term “three days” is an idiomatic phrase that means “in a few days” (cf. Joshua 9:16).

Some argue that Joshua is simply estimating when they would cross the Jordan and since he did not anticipate the three day delay of the spies it actually took six. In other words, the mission of the spies delayed the original plans.

A third view states that the spies were sent out prior to v.1:11 and that the account in chapter 2 is parenthetical. The statement of v.3:2 then is synonymous with the command of 1:11. In this case, the crossing did actually occur within three days (see Paul Enns, Joshua: Bible Study Commentary, pp. 27).

We shouldn’t be afraid of Bible difficulties because there are always good sound solutions to be found. 2 Timothy 3:16 reminds us that “all scripture is given by inspiration.” In the midst of the unclear we don’t want to miss what is clear – the words of encouragement and assurance (v.11).

"Pass through the midst of the camp and command the people, saying, 'Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you are to cross this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the LORD your God is giving you, to possess it.'"

Forty years earlier, Joshua and Caleb had tried to encourage the previous generation – but they would not listen nor believe.

Numbers 13:30-33
30 Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, "We should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we shall surely overcome it." 31 But the men who had gone up with him said, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are too strong for us." 32 So they gave out to the sons of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, "The land through which we have gone, in spying it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants; and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great size. 33 There also we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak are part of the Nephilim); and we became like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight." NAS

Numbers 14:6-10
6 And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, of those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; 7 and they spoke to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, "The land which we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. 8 If the LORD is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land, and give it to us-- a land which flows with milk and honey. 9 Only do not rebel against the LORD; and do not fear the people of the land, for they shall be our prey. Their protection has been removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them." 10 But all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Then the glory of the LORD appeared in the tent of meeting to all the sons of Israel. NAS

Now, that generation was gone and it was time for this generation to believe God and move forward. It’s unfortunate but true that sometimes the only way God’s work can move forward is by the conducting of a few funerals.

Warren Wiersbe tells the story of a pastor friend of his who…..

….pleaded with his church board to build a new educational plant to house an exploding Sunday School. One of the long-time members of the board, a prominent business man in the city, said to him, “You’ll do this over my dead body!” And they did! A few days later, that officer had a heart attack and died; and the church moved ahead and built the much-needed educational plant.

Wiersbe goes on to say,

The older we get, the more danger there is that we’ll get set in our ways and become “sanctified obstructionists”; but it doesn’t have to happen. Caleb and Joshua were the oldest men in the camp, and yet they were enthusiastic about trusting God and entering the land. It isn’t matter of age; it’s a matter of faith; and faith comes from meditating on the Word of God (1:8; Rom. 10:17). How I thank God for the “senior saints” who have been a part of my ministry and have encouraged me to trust the Lord and move forward. (Be Strong, pp. 30)

So Joshua challenged the people to move forward in faith, to prepare themselves to go in and possess their possessions and he did through the Elders of the people.

Now, Joshua is going to challenge a specific group of Israelites in v.12-15.

Joshua’s Charge to the 2 ½ tribes – v.12-15

This charge is a charge to remember.

Joshua 1:12-15
12 And to the Reubenites and to the Gadites and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joshua said, 13 "Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, 'The LORD your God gives you rest, and will give you this land.' 14 "Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle shall remain in the land which Moses gave you beyond the Jordan, but you shall cross before your brothers in battle array, all your valiant warriors, and shall help them, 15 until the LORD gives your brothers rest, as He gives you, and they also possess the land which the LORD your God is giving them. Then you shall return to your own land, and possess that which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise. " NAS

To understand the context of this charge we need to get a little background information (Numbers 32:1-42; Deuteronomy 2:26-3:20).

The tribes being addressed had already determined to remain on the east side of the Jordan (also called the Transjordan). This land had been conquered first and was ideal for grazing and feeding. Because these tribes had large numbers of livestock they asked Moses to give them this land as their inheritance. Moses acceded to their request but only if they agreed to certain conditions. The main condition being that they must fight alongside their brothers until the land west of the Jordan (also called the Cisjordan) was conquered, then and only then could they return to their families and their land to enjoy their inheritance or rest (v. 15a).

So, while Joshua charged the people in general through the Elders to prepare, he is charging the 2 ½ tribes specifically here to remember. Remember the promise they made to Moses and follow through. In fact, Joshua 1:13-15 is a direct quote of Deut. 3:18-20 (which suggests that Joshua already had access to a written document possibly the “Book of the Law”).

Joshua wanted the nation of Israel to remain united together in their conquest of the land. If they were to accomplish the possession of the land as God intended, everyone needed to be involved in the work.

There is a lesson here about our mutual responsibility to help each other to claim their inheritance (see the “one anothers” in the New Testament). We need to make sure that we don’t get to the point where we think we have arrived spiritually, and we must not think that we are no longer needed in the body. There is the danger for us of becoming borderline members out on the edges of the Promised Land (Joshua 22:10-34), never making the effort to belong to the church. Instead, we become casual attenders missing the blessing of accountability and mutual encouragement.

Interestingly there was some common sense applied to how this was carried out. In the nation of Israel only men who were 20 years and older went out to war (Num. 1:3). Out of the 136,930 men available from the 2 ½ tribes (Num. 26:7, 18, 34) only 40,000 actually crossed the Jordan to fight in the Promised Land (Josh. 4:13).

Obviously, the rest stayed behind to protect the women and children and the cities and land that had already been captured (Num. 32:1-5, 16-19). It was only when the 40,000 soldiers returned home that all could fully share in their inheritance (Josh. 22:6-8).

The Encouragement of Joshua, by the People – v.16-18

Joshua 1:16-18
16 And they answered Joshua, saying, "All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 17 Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you; only may the LORD your God be with you, as He was with Moses. 18 Anyone who rebels against your command and does not obey your words in all that you command him, shall be put to death; only be strong and courageous." NAS

Who does they refer to? Some say the officers (v.10-11), some say the 2 ½ tribes (v.12-15), some say both. Clearly to me, both groups are in mind. These two groups, possibly along with the rest of the people, joined together to affirm their loyalty to Joshua. Their response is warm and enthusiastic and it serves to give encouragement back to Joshua (hence mutual encouragement).

They encouraged Joshua by doing three things.

(1) They affirmed their cooperation – v.16-17a

"All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go”

They had no hidden agendas and they asked for no concessions. They promised to obey all of his commands and to go wherever he would send them. Often times we are asked to do something that we don’t want to do, but because the leader asks us to do it we do it out of a spirit of cooperation. Nothing is more discouraging to a leader than uncooperative people!

Someone in one of the books I read pointed out ironically that the next lines may have not been so encouraging to Joshua.

“Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you”

David Howard writes,

There is no indication in the text that the people were anything but sincere in their words. However, the Israelites had been a very disobedient people over the years, despite earlier promises to obey. For example, when Moses brought them the laws that God had given him and read from the Book of the Covenant, they had solemnly sworn obedience, saying, “Everything the LORD has said we will do” and “We will do everything the LORD has said; we will obey” (Exod. 24:3,7). Yet, within a very short time, Aaron was leading the people in building a golden calf (Exod 32); and the Israelites’ subsequent history is replete with examples of complaining, rebellion, and outright disobedience. So, we must wonder about the people’s words here. If their promise was to obey Joshua in the same way they had obeyed Moses, the prospects were not as bright as they may first appear, since, of course, they did not “fully obey” Moses (Joshua: NAC, pp. 94).

Cooperation is the key to mutual encouragement. Not only did they affirm their cooperation but they also affirmed their care and concern.

(2) They affirmed their care and concern – v.17b

There are several ways to look at the phrase, “only may the LORD your God be with you, as He was with Moses”

Some see the phrase as a condition of cooperation. “We will cooperate with you and obey you only if the Lord God is with you as He was with Moses.”

Others see it as a blessing or wish (as it is translated in the NASB), “only may the LORD your God be with you, as He was with Moses.” Understood this way, the phrase is a prayer.

Still others see it as an affirmation of fact, “only the Lord God will be with you as He was with Moses.” Moses is mentioned twice in their response (v.17) because they are affirming that Joshua is indeed Moses’ successor, in their eyes he has now fully assumed the mantle of leadership.

Which view is the right view is not clear, however the first view doesn’t fit the context of full cooperation. In the end, the NASB probably has it right.

As someone has said,

The best thing that we can do for those who lead us is to pray for them daily and ask God to be with them. Joshua was a trained man with vast experience, but that was no guarantee of success. No Christian worker succeeds to the glory of God apart from prayer. “Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?” asked Corrie Ten Boom, a question that especially applies to those in places of leadership. When Joshua did not pause to seek the mind of God, he failed miserably (Josh 7 and 9); and so will we (Be Strong, pp. 32).

The people encouraged Joshua by affirming their cooperation, by affirming their care and concern and by affirming their commitment.

(3) They affirmed their commitment – v.18

The people took Joshua’s leadership seriously, and they took their responsibility seriously as well.

“Anyone who rebels against your command and does not obey your words in all that you command him, shall be put to death; only be strong and courageous”

The phrase “shall be put to death” is a powerful statement of commitment.

If God’s people today saw obedience to Christ a matter of life or death, it would make a big difference in our ministry to a lost world. We obey the Lord’s orders if we feel like it, if it’s convenient, and if we can get something out of it. With soldiers like that, Joshua would never have conquered the Promised Land!” (Be Strong, pp. 33)

This the fourth time in this chapter Joshua has been encouraged to be strong and courageous (v.6, 7, 9, 18). When you read the rest of the book you discover that Joshua obviously got the message.

Note the process of mutual encouragement….

o Leaders are encouraged by the Word

o Leaders encourage the people through exhortation and instruction

o The people encourage the leader through their cooperation, care and concern and commitment

This is how it should work in the church. What part of the process are you in? Are you doing your part?

A PEP TALK FROM GOD - JOSHUA 1:1-9

2006-06-13T13:09:00.000-07:00

Joshua 1:1
1 Now it came about after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD that the LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' servant, saying, NAS

Someone has said, “God buries His workers, but His work goes on!” This is true because God’s human leaders cannot lead forever, even the best of them. You see, there comes a time in every ministry when God calls for a new beginning with a new generation and new leadership, just as was the case with the nation of Israel.

Joshua 1:1 begins with the reminder that things change…..gone was Moses, “the servant of the Lord.” He had accomplished his task as the great deliverer and the great lawgiver – never again would there be another like him (Deut. 34:5-12). Gone also is the generation that came out of the bondage of Egypt with Moses….having perished in the wilderness because of their unbelief (the exception being Joshua and Caleb).

Now the burden of leading the people into the next phase of God’s plan has fallen on, “Joshua the son of Nun, Moses servant” (Num. 27:12-23; Deut. 31:1-8, 23). No doubt, as Joshua thought of the task ahead and the degree of responsibility he had been given, he wondered whether he was up to the task.

After all, hadn’t the people that he was about to lead spent thirty days weeping and mourning over Moses’ death (Deut. 34:8)? No doubt, questions flooded his thoughts.

§ Would the people accept him as their new leader?
§ Would they follow him as they went out into battle?
§ What if he failed?
§ What if the people rebelled against his leadership?

These were not the thoughts of someone who was lacking in self-confidence or faith in God, but these were questions based on experience (Num. 13-14). Even though he had been prepared over the last forty years for this role and even though he had been publicly commissioned as Moses’ successor – the sobering reality of the responsibility must have set in. This is why God gives him a “pep-talk” in v.1-9.

When it says that, “the Lord spoke to Joshua….” I believe that the Lord spoke to him directly to reassure him and encourage him. As Warren Wiersbe says, “What a new leader needs is not advice but encouragement” (Wiersbe, Be Strong, pp. 22).

Think about the awesome responsibility that Joshua faced and then you’ll understand why he needed reassurance.

Joshua’s fears are understandable. After all, he had been chosen to follow in
the footsteps of one of God’s greatest leaders of all time, if not the greatest
leader. And even though Joshua had proven himself again and again and had been
told on several occasions that he was going to take over Moses’ responsibility,
when the moment finally arrived it was an overwhelming experience. (Gene Getz,
Joshua: Defeat to Victory pp. 29)

I think that there may be another reason why Joshua needed this pep talk….and it has to do with the nature of the people he was called to lead.

How could he help but remember vividly the times the children of Israel rose up
against Moses, even threatening to kill him when he would not allow them to
return to Egypt. And how could he forget his own personal involvement when he
returned from spying out the land of Canaan and dared to confront those who
defied God and refused to go in and take the land immediately. There is no way
that Joshua could forget the many, many occasions when the unbelief of Israel
was almostunbelievable. (Getz, Joshua: Defeat to Victory, pp. 31)

Granted this was a new generation, but human nature is still the same (and we learn a lot from our parents). When the work of the Lord requires sacrifice and hard work and change, people tend to grumble and mumble rather than trust and follow and the focus of their grumbling is most often the leader (as it was with Moses).

Another thing, while this was a different generation than the one Moses led out of slavery in Egypt, this generation only knew the wilderness. Now they were being called to go out and claim what they had been promised (which required sacrifice and hard-work). Their existence will forever be different (which requires change). It is never easy to lead people into a new experience and Joshua understood this.

Over the years I’ve seen churches and parachurch ministries flounder and almost
destroy themselves in futile attempts to embalm the past and escape the future.
Their theme song was, ‘As it was in the beginning, so shall it ever be, world
without end.” Often I’ve prayed with and for godly Christian leaders who were
criticized, persecuted, and attacked simply because, like Joshua, they had a
divine commission to lead a ministry into new fields of conquest; but the people
would not follow. More than one pastor has been offered as a sacrificial lamb
because he dared to suggest that the church make some changes. (Wiersbe, Be
Strong, pp. 22)

Certainly God understood the human emotions that Joshua was facing, and that is why we have this pep-talk. In this pep-talk God gives Joshua both reassurance and encouragement by doing two things. He reaffirms His promises (v.2-6) and He reveals to Joshua the keys to being successful (v.7-9).

God Encourages Joshua by Reaffirming His Promises to Israel – v.2-6
The Promise of the Land – v.2-4
2 "Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel. 3 Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses. 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and as far as the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun, will be your territory. NAS

Joshua was told by the Lord to……therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel (v.2b). Then in verse 3 He says….. Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses. Then in verse 6 He says.....Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.

If his task was to lead the people into the Promised Land, Joshua needed to be reminded that the land was there for the taking (because God had given it to them). Note the tenses that God uses,

v.2 – “I am giving”
v.3 – “I have given”
v.6 – “to give them”

In one sense God was still in process of giving Israel the land. After all,
Israel had not yet even crossed the Jordan River, and only the land east of the
Jordan actually had been taken by Israel. Most of the land remained to be taken.
But in another sense God has already given Israel the land. It is as though
Israel already possessed legal title to the land (ever since Abraham’s day), but
they were awaiting God’s timing for the actual possession. In Gen 15:16 God
promised Abraham that it would be several generations before his descendants
would actually possess the land, since “the sin of the Amorites [i.e.,
Canaanites] has not yet reached its full measure. (David M. Howard, Jr., Joshua:
The New American Commentary, pp. 76)

Since God had already given them the land; it was their responsibility now to step out by faith and claim it. In verse 4, the Lord even gives Joshua the dimensions of the land, to emphasize its extent (the description is meant to be general – giving the various borders / boundaries).

“from the wilderness” – This phrase marks the southern border and probably refers to the uncultivated land from the Wilderness of Zin (Sanai Peninsula) in the southwest to the Transjordan area (south and southeast of the Dead Sea).

“this Lebanon” – This phrase marks the northern border and likely refers to what is roughly present day Lebanon and parts of Syria.

“the great river, the river Euphrates” – This phrase marks the eastern border. The Euphrates is in modern day Iraq.

“as far as the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun” – This phrase marks the western border and of course is a reference to the Mediterranean Sea

“all the land of the Hittites” – This phrase could be either the land of Canaan itself near the Jordan or the land east of the Jordan or the land northeast of Palestine – scholars disagree. What is interesting about the “Hittites” (mentioned over 40 times in Scripture) is that prior to 1906 there was no evidence outside of the Bible that these people actually existed! In the past, critics used this fact to assert that there were errors in the Bible. But,

In 1906 Professor Hugo Winckler of Berlin discovered some 10,000 clay tablets at
Boghazkeui (modern Turkey), which turned out to be the ancient Hittite
capital. “This vast store of inscriptional material revealed the Hittites to be
not only an important people of the ancient world, but a people of an extended
empire.” The Hittite empire, which existed from 1900 B.C. to 1200 B.C., was an
enormous territory, ranging from south of the Black Sea eastward to the
Euphrates River (Paul P. Enns, BSC: Joshua, pp. 23).

You may be thinking, “That’s great Jim but how does that information serve to encourage Joshua?” Well, I am glad you asked.

To Joshua’s left was the distant southern boundary, “the wilderness” or
“desert,” the region west and south of the Dead Sea which formed a natural
boundary between Canaan and the Sinai Peninsula. Then Joshua’s eyes were turned
to the distant peaks of the northern limits, “the Lebanon,” the mountain range
far north-northwest of the Sea of Galilee. Behind Joshua, to the east, lay the
eastern boundary, the Euphrates; while in the direction of the setting sun,
under the skyline of the Judean hills, spread the western limit, “the great
sea.” In between the four extremities described was Canaan itself, here
represented by one of the major peoples then occupying it, the Hittites. (Irving
L. Jensen, Joshua: Rest Land Won, pp. 31)

This was the land that God had given to them – now it was time for Joshua to be “strong and of courageous.” It was time for him to arise with the people and to prepare to cross the Jordan and to enter the land. If the promise of the land wasn’t enough, God reaffirmed the promise of His victory (v.5).

The Promise of Victory – v.5a

This promise comes because the land still needed to be conquered, those dwelling in it still needed to be defeated. What a promise this verse makes. No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. These words are identical to the ones that God spoke to Moses in Deuteronomy 7:17-24 and to the people in general – Deuteronomy 11:22-25

The Promise of Presence and Protection – v.5b
“Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.”
The reason that no one will be able to stand against Joshua was because God would be with Him. When God is with us – who can be against us? God’s people can always move forward in God’s will and be assured of God’s presence. In fact, this promise especially applies to us today.

The first gospel opens with “Immanuel…God with us” and closes with Jesus saying, “Lo, I am with you always” (Matthew 1:23; 28:20). The writer of Hebrews quotes Joshua 1:5 and applies it to Christians in Hebrews 13:5-6.

5 Let your character be free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,"

6 so that we confidently say,
"The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid.
What shall man do to me?"NAS

The Promise of Possession – v.6

“Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.”

Notice the tone of God’s promise, be strong and courageous, for you shall. This was God’s trustworthy word of assurance that they would possess the land, because God will keep His word – which I swore to their fathers to give them (Hebrews 6:13-18a).

The book of Joshua records the fulfillment of these three promises (victory, presence, possession) in Joshua 23:14.

14 "Now behold, today I am going the way of all the earth, and you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one word of all the good words which the LORD your God spoke concerning you has failed; all have been fulfilled for you, not one of them has failed. NAS

By reaffirming these promises God is telling Joshua, it is time to go out and possess your possessions and take the land. It is time for you to trust my promises of victory and presence and possession….Trust My word!

God Encourages Joshua by Revealing to Him the Key to Success – v.7-9
7 Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. 8 This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." NAS

Israel’s success in the land and Joshua’s success as leader were contingent and conditioned on their obedience to the word of God. When it comes to obedience to the word the key factors are firmness and resoluteness. Obedience requires discipline, determination and desire.

The phrase “be strong and very courageous” comes from two Hebrew verbs that have similar meanings. They both have the idea of being strong, firm, stout or resolute. The phrase could be just as well translated, “Be strong and resolute.”

Why did Joshua need to be strong and resolute? So that he would be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you.

The term the law is one that is used in a variety of ways in Scripture. For example, it is used (1) to designate the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17); (2) to speak comprehensively of the ordinances, statutes and judgments issued by God (Luke 10:26), i.e. the totality of God’s commands; (3) to refer to the first five books of the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 31:9) i.e. the Pentateuch. All three uses could fit here but likely the third use is the right one (cf. Joshua 1:8 “This book of the law”)

Warren Wiersbe writes,

During the years of his leadership, Moses kept a written record of God’s words
and acts and committed this record to the care of the priests (Deut. 31:9). He
wrote in it a reminder to Joshua to wipe out the Amalekites (Ex. 17:14). Among
other things, the “Book of the Law” included “the Book of the Covenant” (Ex.
24:4, 7), a record of the journeys of the people from Egypt to Canaan (Num.
33:2), special regulations dealing with inheritance (Num. 36:13), and the song
that Moses taught the people (Deut. 31:19). Moses kept adding material to this
record until it included everything God wanted in it (v.24). We have reason to
believe the entire five books of Moses (Genesis through Deuteronomy) comprised
“the Book of the Law,” the greatest legacy Moses could leave to his successor
(Be Strong, pp. 27).

Joshua needed to be strong and resolute so that he could be careful to keep all of the law so that there was to be no deviation from it, “do not turn from it to the right or to the left.”

The key to carefully obeying the law involved internalizing and verbalizing it, “this book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night.” The word meditate has a different connotation today than it did in Joshua’s time. Meditation today has the idea of emptying the mind and concentrating on only yourself or nothing at all! However, the Old Testament concept of meditation involved rumination on God and His word – and doing it out loud.

In fact, the word meditation here literally means to mutter. It has the idea of reciting something in an undertone. When one continually mutters Gods’ word to himself, he is constantly thinking about it. This is why God told Joshua this book of the law shall not depart from your mouth…so that (purpose / reason) you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it.

Notice also the blessings that come from careful obedience to the law.

v.7b – so that you may have success wherever you go
v.8b – for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success

There is a general principle in Scripture that promises blessings with obedience and faithfulness.
Psalms 1:3
3 And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season,
And its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers.
Psalms 34:10
10 The young lions do lack and suffer hunger;
But they who seek the LORD shall not be in want of any good thing.
Psalms 37:25
25 I have been young, and now I am old;
Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken,
Or his descendants begging bread.
Proverbs 10:15
15 The rich man's wealth is his fortress,
The ruin of the poor is their poverty.
Proverbs 16:3
3 Commit your works to the LORD,
And your plans will be established.
Job 36:11
11 "If they hear and serve Him,
They shall end their days in prosperity,
And their years in pleasures.
However, we must be careful that we don’t misinterpret the meaning of success and prosperity in the Bible. The mistake that many contemporary Christian’s make is that they measure prosperity and success by the world’s standards. Specifically, I am talking about the evil of the prosperity gospel (faith teachers). These false preachers teach,

…these and other passages as guarantees that all Christians will (or should!) succeed in every venture they undertake and that they will prosper financially if they are truly following God. Christians who do not succeed, or who are not financially well off, are condemned as living in some persistent sin or lacking in proper faith. (David M. Howard, Jr., Joshua: The New American Commentary, pp. 87)

David M Howard a commentator well versed in the Hebrew addresses the issue very clearly and pointedly when he says,

The two words we find here in our passage in Joshua (1:7-8) speaking of
prosperity and success are almost never used in the Old Testament to speak of
financial success. Rather, they speak of succeeding in life’s proper endeavors.
This happens when people’s lives are focused entirely on God and obedience to
him. The focus of people’s endeavors is not to be prosperity and success but
rather holiness and obedience. A believer’s consuming obsession should be
holiness, for God himself is holy (Lev 11:45; 19:2, etc.), to love God with
one’s entire being (Deut 6:5), to keep his word with the same fervor (Deut 6:6;
2 Kgs 23:25; Ezra 7:10; etc.), and to “fear God and keep his commandments” (Eccl
12:13). When this happens, then God does bless (usually!), although not always
in exactly the ways we might like him to. In this, the Old Testament has the
same message that Jesus spoke when he said, “Seek first his kingdom and his
righteousness, and all these things [food, drink, clothing] will be given to you
as well” (Matt 6:33). Our priority is to seek God. (Joshua: The New American
Commentary, pp. 88)

The word “prosper” speaks of a success that comes from God’s gracious ever present hand.

For example, Abraham’s servant was given success by God in his mission to find a
wife for Isaac (Gen 24:12,40,42,56). Joseph succeeded in Potiphar’s
household because God was with him (Gen 39:2,3,23). The Messiah himself,
when he was bruised, nevertheless would cause God’s will to “prosper” in his
hand (Isa 53:10). Jeremiah spoke several times of the wicked not succeeding in
their evil intents (Jer 2:37; 5:28; 13:10; 22:30[2x]; 32:5). Daniel and his
friends succeeded in their efforts in exile in Babylon, with God’s help (Dan
3:30; 6:28[Hb. 29]. The people’s efforts in Ezra and Nehemiah also succeeded
because of God’s good hand upon them (Ezra 5:8; 6:14; Neh 1:11; 2:20). Solomon
succeeded as king and as builder (1 Chr 22:11,13; 29:23; 2 Chr 7:11). (Howard,
Joshua: The New American Commentary, pp. 88-89)

The word “success” means to have insight, understanding, to be wise. What better success is there than going through life with the understanding and wisdom of God? Warren Wiersbe writes,

These blessings are the by-products of a life devoted to God and His Word. If
you set out on your own to become prosperous and successful, you may achieve
your goal and live to regret. “In whatever man does without God,” wrote Scottish novelist George MacDonald, “he must fail miserably, or succeed more miserably.” The questions God’s people need to ask are: Did we obey the will of God? Were we
empowered by the Spirit of God? Did we serve to the glory of God? If we can answer yes to these questions, then our ministry had been successful in God’s eyes, nomatter what people may think (Be Strong, pp. 28).

Scripture sums up the proper attitude toward worldly success.

Proverbs 23:4-5
4 Do not weary yourself to gain wealth,
Cease from your consideration of it.
5 When you set your eyes on it, it
is gone.
For wealth certainly makes itself wings,
Like an eagle that
flies toward the heavens.
Proverbs 3:7-9
7 Do not be wise
in your own eyes;
Fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
8 It will be
healing to your body,
And refreshment to your bones.
9 Honor the LORD
from your wealth,
And from the first of all your produce;
Verse 9 summarizes God’s pep-talk to Joshua. Have I not commanded you? Positively – to be strong and courageous? Negatively – Do not tremble or be dismayed?

How can Joshua be strong and courageous? Why should he not tremble nor
be dismayed? For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. In the years to
come whenever Joshua faced an enemy and was tempted to be afraid he could
remember God’s word and obey. Whenever he was tempted to be discouraged he could
recall God’s great promises.

How can we apply this to our lives?

Whenever you find yourself in need of a “pep-talk” from the Lord,
whenever you need His encouragement and reassurance, do these three things.

(1) Listen to God’s voice
(2) Trust God’s promises
(3) Obey God’s commands

Where do you find God’s voice, God’s promises and God’s commands? In His Word!

INTRODUCTION: “JOSHUA: THE BOOK AND THE MAN” PT.2

2006-06-09T15:15:00.000-07:00

Deuteronomy 34:1-12
1 Now Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho. And the LORD showed him all the land, Gilead as far as Dan, 2 and all Naphtali and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah as far as the western sea, 3 and the Negev and the plain in the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, as far as Zoar. 4 Then the LORD said to him, "This is the land which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, 'I will give it to your descendants'; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there." 5 So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD. 6 And He buried him in the valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor; but no man knows his burial place to this day. 7 Although Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died, his eye was not dim, nor his vigor abated. 8 So the sons of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days; then the days of weeping and mourning for Moses came to an end.
9 Now Joshua the son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; and the sons of Israel listened to him and did as the LORD had commanded Moses. 10 Since then no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, 11 for all the signs and wonders which the LORD sent him to perform in the land of Egypt against Pharaoh, all his servants, and all his land, 12 and for all the mighty power and for all the great terror which Moses performed in the sight of all Israel. NAS

Even the casual reader of this last chapter of Deuteronomy cannot but help being moved by the scene described. Moses, the faithful servant of God – aged but not weary, is allowed to go up to the top of Mt. Pisgah and view the Promised Land one last time. After this special privilege – Moses dies and is buried in an undisclosed location.

For thirty days the children of Israel wept and mourned for him after which they record this epitaph, “Since that time no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face” (Deut. 34:10). Yet, God does not leave His people leaderless! Instead, He already has chosen a man to take the place of Moses. This successor to Moses is Joshua.

Joshua was not Moses, but he was a man supremely prepared to lead the people and to carry on that which Moses started (Deut. 34:9; Josh. 1:1). Joshua, more than anything else, is a positive example of an Old Testament leader – prepared by God, over a period of time, to accomplish a specific task.

In our first introductory post we looked at the book of Joshua, today we are going to be introduced to Joshua the man.

JOSHUA THE MAN

His Name
Numbers 13:8 tells us that Joshua was the son of Nun and of the tribe of Ephraim – it also tells us that he was originally born with the name Hoshea which mean salvation. At some point Moses changed his name to Joshua which means The Lord is Salvation or Jehovah is Salvation (Num 13:16).

Both names are significant in their application. For example,

¨ Hoshea / Salvation

By naming their child Hoshea, Nun and his wife were bearing witness to their faith in God’s promise of redemption for His people. In Biblical times names had a great deal more significance than they do today.

¨ Jehoshua / Joshua / The Lord is Salvation

When Moses changed Hoshea’s name to Joshua he was very likely reflecting the spiritual qualities which he saw in this young man.
In addition, the name surely revealed to Joshua two important things.
First, it served to remind Joshua of the sacredness of the ministry to which he had been called and secondly, it served to remind him of Who Israel’s real Leader and Deliverer was (Jehovah).

Gene Getz writes,

It is true that Joshua would be God’s human instrument to lead Israel into Canaan. In that sense he would be a means of salvation for God’s chosen people….Yet it was God who would indeed lead Israel back into Canaan. It was He who would roll back the waters of Jordan, cause the walls of Jericho to fall down, and defeat the people of Ai. It was God who would defeat all the giants in Canaan. Thus God changed Hoshea’s name to Joshua to illustrate that He and He alone was Israel’s salvation (Joshua: Defeat to Victory, pp. 21).

One other important fact needs to be mentioned about the name Joshua / Jehoshua – the Greek form of the name is Jesus!

Matthew 1:21
21 "And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins." NAS

Joshua in a sense typifies what Jesus would do for His people (Heb. 4:8). God would use Joshua to lead His people into their physical rest and He would use Jesus to lead His people into their spiritual rest (Matt. 11:28).

His Preparation

Joshua’s preparation for his ministry can be seen in four specific life experiences.

Life Experience #1 – As a Slave

Joshua was born into a slave family in Egypt. No doubt as a young boy Joshua saw his father come home from the fields, weary and exhausted from the toilsome day serving under the harsh Egyptian taskmasters. It is very likely that Joshua’s earliest memories were not pleasant ones.

That is of course except for the memories of what God was beginning to do through this man named Moses. Based on Exodus 33:11, Joshua must have witnessed the signs and wonders God performed through Moses (Exodus 7-12).

First the waters of the Nile were turned to blood, then came the lice, then the flies, and then the destruction of the Egyptian livestock. After that came the boils, then hail, then locusts and then darkness. Finally came that fateful night of the Passover when all first born children were killed.

1 Chronicles 7:20-27 tells us that Joshua was the firstborn of the son of Nun. This means that his life too would have been in danger if it were not for the faithfulness of his parents. No doubt that as Joshua sat that night under the cover of the blood of the lamb, that he pondered all that he had witnessed and his faith in Jehovah grew (after all Jehovah had demonstrated Himself to be the one true God).

Later his faith would once again be enlarged as he witnessed that great event at the Red Sea as the Lord opened the waters for Israel to pass through, and then closed the waters to drown the Egyptian army (Exod. 14-15).

So in those early years God used the events he witnessed to settle Joshua’s faith in Jehovah and His servant Moses.

Life Experience #2 – As a Servant
At some point right before or very soon after the Exodus – Joshua became Moses’ special assistant. In Numbers 11:28 Joshua is called “the attendant of Moses from his youth.” In Exodus 24:13 Joshua is specifically called, “his (Moses’) servant.” This indicates that he stood beside Moses and assisted him in his task of leadership, learning as he went along.

As Moses’ assistant Joshua was privileged to accompany him to Mt. Sinai as he went up to receive the law (according to Ex. 24:12-14, only Joshua was allowed to go with Moses up the mountain). Quite a privilege for a young man, though at some point Moses left Joshua so that he could actually receive the tablets (Exod. 24:16). When it came to access to the Lords presence Joshua was second only to that of Moses.

It is also evident that that Joshua had the additional responsibility of guarding a special tent that Moses had set up out side the camp. In this tent Moses would meet face to face with God (Exod. 33:7-11).
Joshua was learning the valuable lesson of how to live and worship in the presence of God.

He was also learning a great lesson in humility (Numbers 11:16-30).
It is not wrong to want to honor the authority of your leaders…..however we must never become separatist or exclusionary (Luke 9:49-50).

Joshua’s first life experience as a slave helped prepare him for his future task; his second life experience as a servant helped prepare him for his role as Moses’ successor. His third life experience would help him become a general.

Life Experience #3 – As a Soldier

The first official recorded act of Joshua in Scripture is his defeat of the Amalekites in Ex. 17:8-16. This was also the first hint that Joshua was going to become a skilled military leader. As a soldier Joshua learned the importance of courage in battle and was reminded that God was on his side. This was an important lesson because of what he faced in leading the people in the conquest.

Ex. 17:14 hints to us that God had already chosen Joshua for a special work in the future. Unknown to Joshua at this time, that battle with the Amalekites was a time of testing for the future.

“Make every occasion a great occasion, for you can never tell when someone may be taking your measure for a larger place.” Marsden (Quoted by Warren Wiersbe in Be Strong, pp. 11)

Life Experience #4 – As a Spy (Numbers 13-14)
When Israel arrived at Kadesh-Barnea, on the border of the Promised Land, God commanded Moses to appoint twelve men as spies to go out and survey the land of Canaan – Joshua was among them. After 40 days of investigating the land the spies returned and reported to Moses and the people that the land was indeed a good one.

However, ten of the spies in a blatant act of unbelief discouraged the people by saying that Israel wasn’t strong enough to overcome the enemy. After all, there were fortified cities and giant warriors in the land (Num. 13:26-33). Because of their report the people began to complain and rebel against Moses and Aaron. In addition, they began to make plans to go back to Egypt (Num. 14:1-5)

At this point Joshua (demonstrating his spiritual qualities) and Caleb confronted the congregation and challenged them (Num. 14:7-9). If it wasn’t for the intervention of God, they would have been stoned (Num. 14:10). Because of the unbelief of this generation of people only Joshua and Caleb would be allowed to enter into the Promised Land (Num. 14:26-38).

Joshua and Caleb would be charged with leading the next generation into taking the Land. Through this experience Joshua learned that no matter the consequences and no matter the Numbers against him – it is always worth standing up for what is right. “One with God is always in the majority.”

All of his life experiences as slave, as servant, as soldier and as spy helped prepare him in a very special way to be the successor of Moses. In the process of his experiences Joshua became so much more than a successor.

As a young slave he became a watcher and learner.
As a servant / assistant he became a worker and worshipper.
As a soldier he became a warrior.
As a spy he became a witness for God.

His Character

What can we glean about Joshua’s character from his experiences?

· He was filled with the Spirit – Num. 27:18
· He was willing to learn – Deut. 34:9
· He was a man of faith – Num. 14:8-9
· He was a man of courage – Num. 14:9; Ex. 17:8-17
· He was diligent and loyal – Num. 11:24-30
· He was patient

Warren Wiersbe makes an interesting point,

“Think of the years of blessing in the Promised Land that Joshua forfeited because the people had no faith in God! But Joshua patiently stayed with Moses and did his job, knowing that one-day he and Caleb would get their promised inheritance (Num. 14:1-9)”(Be Strong pp. 13).

His Commission

We have two biblical records of the mantle being passed from Moses to Joshua (Num. 27:12-23; Deut. 31:1-8, 22-23). Joshua was chosen by the Lord to carry on the work that was started by Moses. He was publicly inaugurated or commissioned in order to remind the people that they were to follow Joshua’s leadership. He was reminded and challenged by Moses to trust the Lord and not be afraid. Again, Wiersbe makes a great point,

“Like Moses, Joshua was human and made his share of mistakes; but he was still God’s chosen and anointed leader, and the people knew this. This is why they said to Joshua, ‘Just as we heeded Moses in all things, so we will heed you’ (Joshua 1:17, NKJV). God’s people in the church today need to acknowledge God’s leaders and give them the respect that they deserve as the servants of God (I Thes. 5:12-13)” (Be Strong pp. 14).

Gene Getz suggests three practical lessons to be learned from Joshua for Christians today.

First, it takes time to become prepared for any leadership responsibility.
Joshua’s prominence came only after many years of faithfulness both to the Lord and to Moses. He proved himself worthy of trust. Many Christians today want to bypass the process of faithfulness and instead desire instant recognition, instant prominence and instant responsibility in areas of leadership.

Second, there is a unique balance between dependence on God and confidence in oneself.
Joshua and Moses both knew that while they were being used by God to accomplish His work, His work was going to be accomplished in His power and His wisdom. There is always a balance in Christian work between human ability and divine enablement.

Third, we must begin to serve God now in order to be prepared for future responsibility.
It’s doubtful that at the beginning Joshua knew that he would be used by God to replace Moses as leader of his people. He simply got involved and was faithful at whatever he was asked to do (Joshua: Defeat To Victory, pp. 22-23).

For us, the challenge is to get busy serving the Lord now, so that He can accelerate the preparation process.

INTRODUCTION - “JOSHUA: THE BOOK AND THE MAN” PT.1

2006-06-05T10:23:00.002-07:00

If you could get into a time machine and travel back to about 1400 B.C. – you would step out into a drastically different world than the one we know today. You would find yourself in the late Bronze Age still a thousand years away from the establishment of the great Mayan culture and six-hundred years before the Etruscans would begin their move to Italy.

In Crete are some great palaces, built by the Minoans; the people are preparing for what will be known as the Trojan War. Tyre and Sidon are flourishing cities. The Elamites are at their very zenith in what we now know as Iran. The code of Hammurabi is known, and in many ways it’s enabling the Assyrians to expand their great world empire.

The Egyptians are constantly building; the famous King Tut may very well be at the zenith of his power. In Africa the Ethiopian dynasty is just beginning. In India you might see the very first signs of an Indian literature emerging. The potter’s wheel, the calendar and brush writing are found in China. It is 2,500 years before Vasco da Gama or Magellan or Columbus. It is in the time of Joshua, the son of Nun.

As you get out of your time machine you will be standing on the edge of what historians and geographers like to call the Fertile Crescent. And there the continuing drama of Hebrew history is being played out. (This is Your Land Paul E. Toms pp. 5)

We are going to be spending the next several weeks studying the book of Joshua, which is a written record of how that drama was played out. As we embark on this trip back in time you will discover that there are great practical lessons that can be learned from the past, lessons that can help us be successful in the present.

This will be, I hope, a journey that we will not soon forget. Our journey will not be made in an actual time machine, but it will be made through the pages of God’s word. These pages will transport us back to the early 15, late 14 century B.C. – a span of almost 3500 years.
Today our journey begins by way of introduction as we look at Joshua: the book and the man.

Joshua: The Book

There are four things about “the book” I want us to look at.

(1) Its Authorship and Date
(2) Its Historical setting
(3) Its Themes
(4) Its Purpose

v Authorship and Date
We place authorship and date together because these two issues are intricately connected to one another. What you believe about authorship impacts the date of its writing. The author of the book is no where identified in the Bible so there is much debate about whether or not Joshua, the main character actually wrote it. However, there are several clues that can be found that help us come to a decision about who wrote it.

Irving L. Jensen gives a good summary of these clues. He says,

Concerning some aspects of the book’s authorship there can be substantial assurance and agreement.

Clue #1 – The author was an eyewitness of much of the historical account.
The minute details and vivid descriptions of such events as the crossing of the Jordan, the capture of Jericho, and Joshua’s farewell message point to on-the-spot observation and participation. Also, like the “we” sections of Acts, there are a few instances of autobiographical reporting, using the personal pronouns (5:1; 5:6; 15:4).

Clue #2 – The book was written very early, not long after the events themselves had transpired.
This is indicated by the frequent appearance of the phrase “unto this day” and the context in which it is found. For example, Rahab, who protected the lives of Joshua’s spies, was still living when the author wrote the book: “But Rahab…dwelt in the midst of Israel unto this day” (6:25).

Clue #3 – Joshua is specifically identified as author of some writings.
He wrote the words of a covenant which he shared with Israel “in the book of the law of God” (24:25), which was born of his farewell charge in chapter 24. Also Joshua was responsible for the land survey of Canaan which he caused to have recorded in a book (18:9).

Clue #4 – Some small parts could not have been written by Joshua.
Such sections include the references to his death (24:29-30) and to the faithfulness of Israel during the years after his death (24:31). It is possible that these sections were added by Eleazar the priest, and that the note of Eleazar’s death (24:33) was in turn recorded by Phineas his son.

Clue #5 – The bulk of the book was written by one author.

The unity of the book as to style and organization is sufficient evidence that Joshua is the composition of one man, whoever he was. Jewish tradition, both ancient and modern, has consistently ascribed the authorship of the book to the man Joshua (Joshua: Rest-Land Won, pp. 10-11).

Because the book was probably written and completed during the time of Joshua and shortly after his death, we can zero in on a date for which it was written. There are two important Old Testament references that help us zero in on a date (1 Kings 6:1 and Judges 11:26).

1 Kings 6:1
1 Now it came about in the four hundred and eightieth year after the sons of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD. NAS

This passage is important in establishing an Exodus date of 1446 B.C. from Egypt. According to Paul Enns,

The passage indicates that Solomon began to build the temple in the fourth year of his reign, which was 480 years after the Israelites came out of Egypt. Since Solomon began his reign in 970 B.C., his fourth year was 966 B.C. Adding 480 to 966 indicates a 1446 B.C. Exodus date. Since Israel wandered in the desert for 40 years (Num. 14:34), the date that Joshua and the Israelites began their conquest of the land was 1406 B.C. (Joshua: Bible Study Commentary, pp. 8).

Judges 11:26
26 'While Israel lived in Heshbon and its villages, and in Aroer and its villages, and in all the cities that are on the banks of the Arnon, three hundred years, why did you not recover them within that time? NAS

Jephthah indicates that Israel had possessed the land and lived in it for 300 years from the conquest until Jephthah’s day. Again Enns states,

The succeeding chronology to the fourth year of Solomon adds up to 144 years, which agrees in substance with I Kings 6:1 and further substantiates a 1406 B.C.
invasion. (Joshua: BSC, pp. 8)

The date of the writing of the book then occurred shortly after the Exodus (1406 B.C.) and was completed by around 1370 B.C., the date of the completion of the conquest!

Why is this important? It is important because we are in a spiritual battle over the Bible with the enemies of God (2 Cor. 10:3-5; 2 Peter 3:1-13). The Bible is constantly being attacked within (documentary hypothesis) and without (liberal archeology). This impacts what is taught in Christian Colleges and it is meant to weaken Christians’ confidence in the Word of God. God’s Word does not contradict itself, it is accurate and trustworthy, even in the area’s of history and science.

v Historical Setting
The Hebrew Old Testament was divided into three sections,

§ The Law
§ The Prophets
§ The Writings

The Prophet’s section was divided into two parts,

q The Former Prophets – Joshua, Judges, I & II Samuel, I & II Kings
q The Latter Prophets – Isaiah through Malachi

Joshua was considered the first book of the former prophets which points to its importance. It is always helpful for the serious student of Scripture to have it clear in his/her mind the place the book of Joshua occupies in the historical thread of the Old Testament, especially in relation to Israel.

In Genesis God brings Israel to birth, and promises to give it the land of Canaan. In Exodus He delivers His people from oppression in a foreign land, and starts them on their way to the promised land, giving them laws to live by (as recorded both in Exodus and Leviticus). Numbers records the journey of Israel through the wilderness up to the gate of Canaan, while Deuteronomy describes final preparation for entering the land. At this point Joshua picks up the story, describing the conquest of the land and the division of its territories to the tribes of Israel. In a real sense Joshua is the climax of a progressive history as well as the commencement of a new experience for Israel. Thus its historical nexus gives it a strategic place in the Old Testament Scriptures (Jensen, Joshua: Rest Land Won pp. 13-14).

From archeology we also gain some insight into the political and social circumstances that Israel would face in conquering the land. Two items from archeology are worth mentioning, the Armana letters and the Ras Shamra tablets. Paul Enns explains,

The Armana letters reveal that the Book of Joshua accurately portrays the historical situation during this period. The letters represent the country as divided into small feudal city-states that were often at war with one another. Extant Armana letters from Jerusalem, Gezer, Lachish, Jarmuth and Eglon request help from Egypt because of the “Habiru” invaders (a possible identification with Hebrews). The cities that correspond with Egypt (Megiddo, Ashkelon, Acco, Gezer, Jerusalem) were conquered later by Israel, while cities not corresponding with Egypt were conquered early. Thus these letters, written between 1400 and 1367 B.C. by the Canaanites to the Egyptians, help provide information concerning the historical circumstances at the time of the conquest.

He adds,

The Ras Shamra (Ugaritic) tablets reveal the licentious and degrading nature of the Canaanite inhabitants, with their chief emphasis on fertility and sex. Their
idolatrous practices of child sacrifice and temple prostitution would have been
spiritually contaminating to the Israelites; hence, severe measures of extermination were commanded by God (Joshua: BSC pp. 9-10).

In summary, the Book of Joshua describes for us Israel’s advance into and conquest of the Promised Land, as well as the distribution of the land among the tribes. It in essence follows and resumes the narrative left off at the end of the Book of Deuteronomy. It also reflects both the political and spiritual/social circumstances of the day.

v Themes of the Book
There are several broad themes that are dealt with in the Book of Joshua that have implications for the rest of Scripture.

Theme #1 – The Land

A major theme in the Book of Joshua is the possession of the Promised Land. The land had been promised to:

q Abraham – Gen. 12:7; 13:14-15, 17, 15:18-21; 17:8; 22:17
q Isaac – Gen. 26:3-4
q Jacob – Gen. 28:4,13; 35:12
q Succeeding Generations – Gen. 15:13-21; 48:4; 50:24

The land is a central goal toward which the action and thought of the Pentateuch moves. Moses was called to bring God’s people to a “good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey” (Ex. 3:8, 17; 6:48). In fact, the major portion of Joshua (chap. 13-21) is devoted to detailing the allotment of the land. What was so special about the land? Irving L. Jensen explains,

Because the vital factors of soil, water, weather, and climate in a particular area can change markedly over a period of a few thousand years, our knowledge of these important elements concerning the land of Canaan in Joshua’s day is more accurately based on the biblical descriptions than our present day observations. God Himself described that land as a land of hills and valleys, blessed with rain, cared for by Himself throughout all the seasons (Deut. 11:11-12). It was a very productive land, its thirst quenched by brooks of water, fountains, and springs (Deut. 8:7); flowing with milk and honey (Ex. 3:8; 13:5; Lev. 20:24; Ezek. 20:6); abounding in wheat, barley, vines, fig trees, pomegranates, and olive trees (Deut. 8:8; II Kings 18:32); its hills offering iron and copper (Deut. 8:9). Most of the agriculture centered in middle and north Canaan, while the plains east of the Jordan provided excellent pasturage. The land was also a pleasant and healthy region for dwelling, especially because of its relatively moderate climate. There were places where the climate was uncomfortable, but the people could avoid these because of the topographical variety of the land. Finally, the land was attractive for its beauty. The hills and valleys, rivers and lakes, distant snowclad mountain peaks, green plains, and sweeping stretches of beach afforded a lifetime experience of exulting in the marvelous handiwork of God. God was giving the best to His people (Joshua: Rest Land Won pp. 19-20).

Theme #2 – God’s Promises
David Howard says,

An integral part of the book’s major theme, the possession of the promised land, is the idea that Yahweh was a promise-keeping God. The land that is the book’s focus was not just any land, but it was the land that had long been promised to Abraham and his descendants…The Book of Joshua shows God being faithful to his promises in every respect, including promises that were not directly about the land (Joshua: The New American Commentary pp. 57).

These promises include,

§ God’s promise to be with Joshua – Josh. 1:5, 9; Deut. 31:8, 23
§ God’s promise of rest for His people – Ex. 33:14; Deut. 12:10; 25:19
§ God’s promise concerning the condition of the land – Deut. 6:1-11 cf. Joshua 24:13

Joshua 21:43-45 serves as an all-encompassing affirmation of Yahweh as the promise keeping God.

Theme #3 – The Covenants

This theme is closely related to both the land and the promises. There are two covenant renewal ceremonies recorded in the book. The first took place on Mt. Ebal, when Joshua built an altar to the Lord and offered sacrifices (8:30-35). The second renewal ceremony took place at Shechem in chap. 24. According to v.25-27, Joshua wrote the words of their covenant renewal in “the Book of the Law of God” and erected a large stone as a witness and a memorial for them. At that time the people once again committed themselves to keeping the law (24:16-18, 21-22, 24, 27). According to Howard,

The importance of the covenant in Joshua is even clearer in the book's emphasis on the Ark of the Covenant. It occupies an especially important place in the account of the crossing of the Jordan in chap. 3 as well as in chap. 8, where it was part of the covenant renewal ceremony. The ark was a symbol of God’s presence, and the covenant was a sign of his relationship with his people (Joshua: NAC, pp. 59).

Theme #4 – The Importance of Obedience
The focus in Joshua is not only on God fulfilling the covenants, but also on the importance of Israel keeping the covenant (1:7-8; 8:31-34; 22:5; 23:6; 24:24). Over and over again in the book we read of the importance of obedience to the law.

The book of Joshua also stresses the “cause and effect” relationship between obedience and blessing and disobedience and punishment. The most obvious example of this is found in the story of Achan in Chapter 7.

Also note Joshua 13:13; 15:63; 16:10; 17; 11-12; 19:47 and the ominous phrase “did not dispossess,” “did not drive them out,” and so on.

Theme # 5 – The Importance of Separation / Holiness

The Hebrew word “qados – holy” has at its core the idea of separateness…..away from evil – unto God. The word holy occurs only three times in Joshua (5:15; 24:19, 26) but the concept pervades the entire book. This is especially seen in three events of chapter 5.

· Circumcision – v.2-9
· Observation of the Passover – v.10-12
· Joshua’s encounter with the Captain of the Host of the Lord – v.13-15

Each of these events has an element of dedication to them.

q Circumcision – individual dedication
q Passover – communal dedication
q Joshua’s encounter – leadership dedication of Joshua

In addition, the whole issue of destroying the Canaanites has to do with God’s holiness. Howard says,

This destruction was accomplished so that the Israelites might take possession of the land and that they might punish the great wickedness of the Canaanites. However, it was also for the purpose of cleansing the land, of dedicating its inhabitants--even its cities and its booty—to the Lord. These were to be devoted to the Lord for destruction, emphasizing his absolute holiness and his intolerance of evil. When the land and its inhabitants were thus “dedicated” to him, they became “holy” and thus fit to be his people’s inheritance (Joshua: NAC pp. 62).

This is also related to God’s prophecy in Genesis 15:12-16.

12 Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, terror and great darkness fell upon him. 13 And God said to Abram, "Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years. 14 But I will also judge the nation whom they will serve; and afterward they will come out with many possessions. 15 And as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. 16 Then in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet complete." NAS

Theme #6 – Godly Leadership
The Book of Joshua begins with a transition in leadership for Israel, from Moses – the great lawgiver and “Servant of the Lord” – to Joshua – “Moses’ aide.” (Deut. 34:10-12; Joshua 1:1-2) It would not be an easy task, both in following in Moses’ footsteps and in leading the people to take the land. Yet Joshua was able to be successful in leading the people and serving the Lord and the key to that success had to do with his devotion to God and His law (word) (Josh. 1:6-9).

Joshua was obviously a man of many talents – both militarily and administratively – yet his leadership was tied to his godliness and obedience! When looked at objectively, the results of his leadership are impressive. The land was pacified, the people were settled in their allotted territories, and Joshua was faithful throughout (Joshua 24:29-31).

The Book can be outlined very easily into four divisions. Two possible suggestions, the first is from Warren Wiersbe.

§ Chapters 1-5 – Preparing the Nation for Conquest
§ Chapters 6-12 – Defeating the enemies (the conquest itself)
§ Chapters 13-22 – Claiming the Inheritance
§ Chapters 23-24 – Renewing the Covenant

OR

§ Entering the Land – chap. 1-5
§ Fighting for the Land – chap. 6-12
§ Dividing the land – chap. 13-22
§ Living in the land – chap. 23-24

v Purpose of the Book
Ultimately the purpose of the book of Joshua is to show the faithfulness of God in establishing His people in the Land, according to His promises. In that, there is a great lesson for us about God’s promises to us. Four-hundred years before their entrance into the land, God promised the land to their forefather Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3), but Abraham never actually possessed the land.

In fact, when Abraham’s wife Sarah died, he had to negotiate with a local landowner in order to get a piece of land large enough to bury her. Yet, four-hundred years later, as we pick up the thread of the story, that promise is about to be fulfilled. As Paul E. Toms says, “God does not neglect His promises.” To that point he adds,

We get uneasy because sometimes a few days go by, or maybe even a few weeks or
months, and we don’t see our prayers answered. We wonder if God has gone out of
business, or if He is no longer going to be faithful to the promises He made.

There are perfectly good reasons for delays in the answering of prayers. For example, God said, “The iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full” (Gen. 15:16). That was one of the basic reasons why Abraham was not able to have the land. When the iniquity of the Canaanites (of whom the Amorites were a part) was full, when the Canaanites became impossible in terms of their immorality, they were driven out and the Israelites came in (Joshua: This Land is Your Land pp. 7).

As we study this book let’s remember the inspired words of Paul found in Romans 15:4 “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”

A New Series

2006-06-05T10:17:00.000-07:00

I am going to begin posting sermons from a series I did a few years back when I was the Pastor of First Baptist Church in Wasco. These were Sunday night messages that our people seemed to really enjoy. I hope they will be a blessing to you as well.

As a side note: I will be posting one and maybe two per week but no more than that. In between sermons from Joshua I hope to be able to add a miscellaneous post or two.

Psalm 23 - Giving Credit Where Credit is Due

2006-06-01T16:19:00.000-07:00

These are the main resources that I used while developing the series on Psalm 23. I hope these resources can be a help to you as well.

James Montgomery Boice, Psalms Vol. 1, Psalms 1-41, Baker, 1994

Phillip Keller, A Shepherd Looks a Psalm 23, Zondervan, 1970

Derek Kidner, Psalms 1-72, Tyndale Old Testament Commentary, IVP, 1973

Herbert Lockyer, God’s Book of Poetry: Meditations from the Psalms, Nelson, 1983

John Phillips, Exploring the Psalms Vol. 1, Psalms 1-88, Loizeaux Brothers, 1988

Haddon W. Robinson, The Good Shepherd: Reflections on Psalm 23, Moody, 1968

Allen P. Ross, Psalms: The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Old Testament, Victor Books, 1985

C.H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David Vol. 1, Hendrickson,

Mark A. Tabb, Psalm 23: Song of the Shepherd, Moody, 1999

Elmer A. Towns, Psalm 23 Series, Sermon.com (http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermon.asp?SermonID=47630&ContributorID=7902) *Taken from: Praying the 23rd Psalm, Elmer L. Towns, Regal Books, Ventura, CA, 2001

Willem A. VanGemeren, Psalms: Expositor’s Bible Commentary Vol. 5, Zondervan, 1991

Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Worshipful, Victor, 2004

Psalm 23 - I Will Dwell in the House of the Lord forever

2006-06-01T11:35:00.000-07:00

“goodness and lovingkindness”

How do we view this last verse in light of our Shepherd metaphor? How do goodness and lovingkindness (mercy) fit into the narrative? Granted, at first glance it is not that easy to see. However, with a little thought and imagination the metaphor becomes clear.

Herbert Lockyer writes,

Goodness and mercy have been called “the two guardian angels, heavenly escorts,
and God’s sent messengers” commissioned to attend to each believer during all
the days of his or her pilgrimage. But in keeping with the imagery of this psalm, is it not more fitting to think of goodness and mercy as the two faithful sheepdogs the shepherd loved and valued? When a shepherd went before his sheep, doubtless his well-trained dogs at the rear kept the sheep from straying (God’s Book of Poetry: Meditations from the Psalms, pp. 81-82).

What a great thought that is. Goodness and lovingkindness are the two great helpers that assist the Shepherd in keeping the sheep on the right path.

God’s goodness is the expression of His compassion for us in providing us with the things that are essential to life. He is both beneficent and sympathetic to our circumstances and he responds accordingly. Goodness is related to grace.

According to Haddon Robinson,

Goodness is getting those things that we do not deserve……The goodness of God is
found in immeasurable abundance and it touches every part of our lives. The
religion of the Bible is a practical, down-to –earth affair. Jesus taught that
God knows about the doctor bill, the visit to the dentist—and that we who trust
a good God can be sure that He will provide for those basic necessities of life.
You know this to be true if you have walked with the Shepherd in the past and
have seen all that He has done for you (The Good Shepherd: Reflections on Psalm
23, pp. 29)

God’s goodness has both a positive and a negative aspect to it. Positively, God gives to us and blesses us with many things. Negatively, God holds back those things that are harmful to us.

Psalms 27:13
13 I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD
In the land of the living.
NAS

Psalms 31:19
19 How great is Thy goodness,
Which Thou hast stored up for those who fear Thee,
Which Thou hast wrought for those who take refuge in Thee,
Before the sons of men!
NAS

Romans 8:28
28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. NAS

James 1:17
17 Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow. NAS

Lovingkindness or mercy here is the Hebrew word hesed which speaks of a “loyal love.” It includes the ideas of compassion, patience, forgiveness and help.

God’s lovingkindness or mercy is a reference to His covenantal commitment to His sheep as the Shepherd. Remember the opening line of this Psalm? “The LORD is my Shepherd.” As the Shepherd, He is committed to blessing His people with His everlasting love and compassion.

Psalms 86:15
15 But Thou, O Lord, art a God merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth.
NAS

Psalms 103:17-18
17 But the lovingkindness of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him,
And His righteousness to children's children,
18 To those who keep His covenant,
And who remember His precepts to do them.
NAS

Haddon Robinson puts it well,

Notice that God sends goodness and mercy. Not goodness alone, for we are sinners
needing forgiveness; not mercy alone, for we need many things besides
forgiveness. But they are linked to each other.

Goodness is
getting those things we do not deserve. Mercy is withholding those things we do
deserve. Goodness to provide, mercy to pardon (pp. 29).

As we have discovered about sheep, they need a great deal of provision and a whole lot of pardon!

Psalms 31:7-8
7 I will rejoice and be glad in Thy lovingkindness,
Because Thou hast seen my affliction;
Thou hast known the troubles of my soul,
8 And Thou hast not given me over into the hand of the enemy;
Thou hast set my feet in a large place.
NAS

Psalms 94:17-18
17 If the LORD had not been my help,
My soul would soon have dwelt in the abode of silence.
18 If I should say, "My foot has slipped,"
Thy lovingkindness, O LORD, will hold me up.
NAS

Psalms 63:3-4
3 Because Thy lovingkindness is better than life,
My lips will praise Thee.
4 So I will bless Thee as long as I live;
I will lift up my hands in Thy name.
NAS

“Surely…….will follow me all the days of my life”

The phrase “follow me” literally means pursue me. There is great confidence in this phrase.

Surely – because God never fails. Surely – because he does not begin a work he
doesn’t complete. Surely – because he will never leave us or forsake us
(Robinson, pp. 30).

Herbert Lockyer puts it this way,

There is never a day in the pilgrimage of the child of God when the heavenly
escorts of goodness and mercy are absent. All of our days not some of our days.
Days of storm and days of sunshine, days of trial as well as days of triumph,
days of pain as well as days of pleasure (God’s Book of Poetry: Meditations from
the Psalms, pp. 82).

No matter where we are, no matter what we’ve done, no matter what our circumstances might be, God’s goodness and lovingkindness is pursuing us, to uphold us, to care for us, forgive us and to challenge us.

"And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever"

There is some disagreement about what the house of the LORD refers to. Some see it is a reference to the sanctuary or tabernacle (Allen P. Ross for example). Some see it is a reference to heaven (Warren Wiersbe for example).

For me I like a more metaphorical understanding of the term. I think Haddon Robinson has it right when he says, in the phrase, “The house of the Lord” – David is not thinking so much about where he would be but who he would be with.

This brings us back to the idea we have been promoting throughout this study. David is describing for us in this Psalm a year in the life of a sheep. Phillip Keller writes,

The word “house” used here in the poem has a wider meaning than most people
could attach to it. Normally we speak of the house of the Lord as the sanctuary
or church or meeting place of God’s people. In one sense David may have had this
in mind. And, of course, it is pleasant to think that one would always delight
to be found in the Lord’s house.

But it must be kept in mind always, that the Psalmist, writing from the standpoint of a sheep, is reflecting on and recounting the full round of the year’s activities for the flock.

He has taken us from the green pastures and still waters of the home ranch, up through the mountain passes onto the high tablelands of the summer range. Fall has come with its storms and rain and sleet that drives the sheep down to the foothills and back to the home ranch for the long, quiet winter. In a sense this is coming home. It is a return to the fields and corrals and barns and shelters of the owner’s home. During all seasons of the year, with their hazards, dangers and disturbances, it is the rancher’s alertness, care and energetic management that has brought the sheep through satisfactorily (A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, pp. 137).

In fact the phrase “I will dwell” conveys the idea of returning; the same verb is translated “He restores” in v.3.

Phillip Keller goes on to say that in his view the “house” is the family or household or flock of the Good Shepherd. He says that because the Shepherd is so good and loving and caring the sheep are deeply satisfied and do not want to stray. They want to “dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Here is the sheep so utterly satisfied with its lot in life, so fully contented with the care it receives, so much “at home” with the shepherd that there is not a shred of desire to change.” Stated in simple, direct, rather rough ranch language it would be put like this, “Nothing will ever make me leave this outfit – it’s great! (pp. 136)

Keller goes on to describe the condition of the sheep on the other side of the fence. He recalls the poor, sickly, malnourished, neglected, abused, and pest infected sheep of the heartless shepherd who owned the property next to his. They were always trying to get onto his property because he had made provision for his sheep.

Because they didn’t belong to him he would have to take them back to their careless owner. It was a terrible experience for him. He tells of one particular incident.

I recall clearly coming across three of my neighbor’s ewes lying helpless under a fir tree near the fence one drizzly day. They were like three old, limp, gray, sodden sacks collapsed in a heap. Even their bony legs would no longer support them.

I loaded them up into a wheelbarrow and wheeled them back to their heartless owner. He simply pulled out a sharp killing knife and slit all three of their throats. He couldn’t care less (pp. 139)

He then proceeds to make a very important spiritual application.

Right there the graphic account of Jesus portrayed of Himself as being the door
and entrance by which sheep were to enter His fold flashed across my mind.

Those poor sheep had not come into my ranch through the proper gate. I had never let them in. They had never really become mine. They had not come under my ownership or control. If they had, they would not have suffered so. Even starting out under my management they would have been given very special care.

In short, they tried to get in on their own. It simply spelled disaster. What made it doubly sad was that they were doomed anyway. On the old impoverished ranch they would have starved to death in the winter.

Likewise with those apart from Christ. The old world is a pretty wretched ranch and Satan is a heartless owner. He cares not a wit for men’s souls or welfare. Under his tyranny there are hundreds of hungry, discontented hearts who long to enter into the household of God – who ache for His care and concern (pp. 140)

Keller goes on to remind us that there is only one way into the fold of God and that is through the Good Shepherd Jesus Christ.

John 10:9
9 "I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. NAS

The way through the Door is quite simple. It involves two things: Repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ.

The Bible tells us that Heaven is a free gift. It is not earned and it is not deserved.

Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, that no one should boast. NAS

The reason we cannot earn entrance into the fold of God is because man is by nature a sinner. We could never do enough good to save ourselves because as sinners we could never meet God’s standard of righteousness, which is perfection.

Matthew 5:48
48 "Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. NAS

Romans 3:23
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, NAS

Our sin corrupts us completely. In fact, if the Lord didn’t call us, none of us could be “saved.”

Romans 3:10-11
10 as it is written,
"There is none righteous, not even one;
11 There is none who understands,
There is none who seeks for God;
NAS

God is a loving God who is full of mercy and grace.

1 John 4:8
8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. NAS

Exodus 34:5-6
5 And the LORD descended in the cloud and stood there with him as he called upon the name of the LORD. 6 Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; NAS

However, God is also a holy God who demands righteousness and justice for our sin.

Exodus 34:7
7 who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations." NAS

How does God solve the apparent dilemma between His love and His justice? He solves it in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, the infinite God / man left the glories of heaven and humbled Himself so that He might “taste death for everyone.” He gave His life as a sacrifice for our sins and to bring about atonement. In His death He satisfied God’s justice and displayed God’s love.

2 Corinthians 5:21
21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. NAS

Romans 5:8-11
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10 For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. NAS

When Jesus was on the cross he uttered the words “it is finished.” What was finished? The work of atonement. His death on the cross paid the debt of our sin, in full.

The key to receiving this deliverance from the consequences of our sins is faith. Faith is more than mental assent, it is more than just believing that God exists or that Jesus died on the cross. It is trusting in Jesus Christ alone for his gift of salvation.

When we place our faith in Jesus Christ for eternal life we are acknowledging that He is the risen and living Savior, that He is becoming the Lord of my life and that we have repented or turned away from of our sins.

Have you placed your faith in Christ alone? Is He the Lord of your life? Have you repented of your sins? If not you can do so today!

Romans 10:9-10
9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; 10 for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. NAS

What about those of us who have already received eternal life and entered into God’s flock through the Door? Every day we are coming in contact with people “on the other side of the fence.” Do they see in us the joy and benefits of belonging to the Good Shepherd? Do they become envious of the contentment we have and the care we receive from our gracious Owner? Do they see that God’s goodness and lovingkindness is following us wherever we go? May it be so!